Three's a Crowd
by tewig
Summary: Bella realizes her two best friends, Jacob and Leah, both have a crush on her. Not your usual love triangle.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note: This story deals with identity, sexuality, and self-discovery. If you're not comfortable with any of these, please stop reading now._

Usual disclaimer: Everything Twilight doesn't belong to me

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

They say three's a crowd, but with Leah and Jacob at my side in college, I was the happiest girl in the world. We'd known each other since we were in diapers. Our dads were fishing buddies and best of friends. Leah was the oldest, born in July with Leo in the ascendant and as proud as a lion; I followed two months later, a shy September girl; Jacob came last in January at the height of winter. We fell into our roles easily; Leah was the fearless leader, Jacob the steadfast but stubborn second-in-chief, and I the devoted follower and accomplice in their mischief.

As kids we were inseparable, blind to the differences of race and socio-economic background. We raised more than a few eyebrows in Forks and on the Quileute Indian Reservation in La Push by attending school together. Not only was Leah technically a year ahead of us, both she and Jacob were supposed to go to the reservation school. But she had refused to start first-grade without her two henchmen. So we did the only thing that our six-year old selves could come up with: we staged a hunger strike, which lasted for all of two days. Our parents were astonished but soon saw no reason not to give in–a move which earned the Clearwaters and Blacks stern disapproval from the Quileute Council.

Secretly, I think Leah's dad was pleased–"a smart girl like my Leah needs something more stimulating." There was a glint in his eye as he informed us we would be starting the next year together at Forks Elementary.

Harry Clearwater was right, but sometimes I wondered if Leah _should_ have started the year ahead of us. She was academically brilliant, and topped the class almost every year. By the time we started freshman year at Forks High she was the clear front-runner for class valedictorian. With her spare time, there were opportunities aplenty to make mischief: we soon became known as the Terrible Trio at Forks High. If there was a midnight explosion in the fishing pond (we were experimenting with hydrogen–don't ask) or a dead iguana in the teacher's common room (Leah was fascinated with reptiles), everyone pinned the blame on us. But Leah was so good, we never got caught.

Except that one time in ninth grade Biology. We had completed our one-hour lizard dissection exercise in fifteen minutes and Leah was listlessly twirling the dead lizard. She caught sight of Lauren Mallory squealing squeamishly at the other end of the counter, and flashed a look at Jacob who was seated behind us. He got it immediately, me a few moments later. We were that in sync with one another.

Lauren was dressed in a provocatively low-cut loose sheer top. It was offending our propriety, Leah snorted earlier. Leaning over the counter, he called Lauren's name, baiting her with his eyelashes. I rolled my eyes. He could be such a charmer. While Lauren was wholly distracted, Leah sneaked up behind her and performed the crime. Lauren let out a bloodcurdling scream as she jumped up and down, nearly ripping off her clothes in the process. The guys in the classroom gawked. Jacob got a bird's eye view, I'm sure.

As usual, I played the innocent bystander, but amidst the confusion, I bent down swiftly, picked up the offensive reptile and slipped it back on our tray. It was over in seconds.

"Miss Mallory?" Mrs Graham was at our counter, investigating Lauren's predicament.

"She did it!" Lauren glared in our direction.

"Did what?" Leah asked innocently. She could get away with it, she was Mrs Graham's pet student. I was a bad liar and carefully avoided throwing my gaze their way.

"I saw Bella pick the lizard up from the floor," Jessica Stanley, Lauren's lab partner suddenly accused. I froze as Mrs Graham took a step towards me, crossing her arms.

"It was me."

I shot Jacob an angry look. _You are not doing this again._

"They're imagining things." Leah reached for our dissection tray and raised it in front of her. "Our lizard's right here."

Mrs Graham's eyes flashed warily between Jacob and us. "Liar," Lauren shot back.

"I did it when she wasn't looking," Jacob spoke calmly, studiously avoiding our eyes. Lauren looked dumbfounded.

"Detention seems to be suiting you well this term, Mr Black," Mrs Graham concluded as she turned away, returning to the front of the lab. "And you have to write an apology to Miss Mallory, to be pinned up on the lab notice board by tomorrow morning." Silence fell over the class. Jacob's face was expressionless, but his lip twitched just slightly. He flashed a mischievous grin in our direction.

"Jacob, you dumb ass," Leah hissed as we headed towards the locker room. "Always trying to play the white knight."

"Yeah," I chimed in, annoyed that I was the weakest link again. "I was doing just fine."

"Exactly. Bella can stand on her own two feet."

Jacob shrugged. He ruffled Leah's short, cropped hair while slinging his left arm around my shoulder. I tried to shake off his grip.

"Aww, Bells, don't be angry." He stepped in front of me and placed his hands on my shoulders. I refused to meet his eyes. Suddenly, his fingers reached for my chin, tilting my head up to his. "Alright, you'll help me write that letter. Fair's square?" My heart skipped a beat as he cradled my face in his palm.

"Fine," Leah huffed. "You don't see the point-you take care of things from now on."

"Come on," he retorted, his hand slipping away as he turned to face her. "Mrs Graham may love you, but she knew something was up. I saw the way she looked at Bella–"

"And that's it, right? Always trying to protect her. You think she can't survive without you," Leah snapped back at him. There was a glint of–something, I couldn't explain what–in her eyes as she stepped away from us.

"Lee–" I called after her, finally finding my voice. But she had turned her back to us and walked away.

Years later, I would come to see that brief altercation as a turning point in our relationship. Had I been more observant, perhaps I would have seen the signs sooner. As fate would have it, I was totally caught off my feet when everything changed that freshman summer, soon after we moved to Seattle for college.

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><p><em>AN:_ _I'd originally intended to write this as a oneshot, as a little distraction from Black Manta. But once I got into the characters, the story just started writing itself. Black Manta's still my main focus– and definitely **a lot** more complicated to write– but I thought you might enjoy this little story in the meantime ;)  
><em>

_Thanks to ** leelator** for all your help and encouragement with this._


	2. Chapter 2

_Usual disclaimer: Everything Twilight doesn't belong to me_

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

Now that I think about it, there were other signs that not all was right, even before our move to Seattle. One particular memory stands out—the night I realized Jacob had outgrown Leah's double bed.

"You should totally choose Stanford."

We were in Leah's bedroom, squeezed shoulder-to-shoulder on her bed. Our college acceptance letters were stacked in three neat piles in front of us, summoning our collective wisdom to make the right choice. Leah probably had the toughest decision to make—she was accepted to every college she applied to, almost all on full scholarship.

"Just like you should stop putting USC on hold?" Leah leaned over my shoulder to address Jacob on my right. Jacob had not fared too badly himself, getting into a few of the top football colleges in the NCAA. "Come on, they won the Rose Bowl last year. That's not good enough for you?"

"Football's not everything." Jacob picked up my stack of letters and leaned out over the bed frame. I suddenly realized his legs were dangling onto the floor, like Gulliver on a Lilliputian bed. Did he just grow another inch? I was still amazed by his physical transformation since joining the Forks High football team in sophomore year. In the blink of an eye, my gawky best friend had metamorphosed into a GQ beefcake. Along with his new muscles came the girls. They hung around him at the cafeteria, in the locker room, and in the bleachers while he trained. Needless to say, it had done wonders for his ego.

"Washington, Oregon, UC Berkeley, UCLA." He started reading out the names on the envelopes one-by-one, tossing each one on the floor as he was done. "Florida—what the hell, Bells?"

"They have a nice campus." I shrugged. "And it's near Renee." Gainesville was near Jacksonville, where my mom lived with her boyfriend, Phil.

Jacob ignored my response and continued reading the names out. "Duke—geez, were you seriously thinking of moving to North Carolina?" He paused and turned to face me. "They're well-known for their English program." I defended myself against his questioning stare.

"NYU, Yale, Dartmouth—where the hell is that?"

"New Hampshire," Leah answered on my behalf. "I heard they're pretty rad."

"Yale actually rejected me." I corrected Jacob.

"Yeah, well that wasn't my point." He leaned towards me. "Bella Swan, did you apply to college in every single state in the USA?" he teased.

I punched him in the gut but it felt like I hit a wall. Jacob laughed at my efforts and caught my wrist easily. "Well, New Hampshire's too far. You're staying on the West Coast."

"She can go wherever she pleases," Leah said a little too snappily as she turned away and got to her feet.

"I thought we were gonna try and stick together," I blurted out, a little thrown off by Leah's testiness. She didn't even bother to reply, walking out the door without so much as a glance in our direction.

"Scoot over." Jacob pushed my shoulder gently. "I'm about to fall off here."

I shifted to the other side of the bed where Leah had lain. The sheets were still warm. "What's up with her?" Several top universities in the country were wooing Leah and yet she was more irritable than I'd ever seen her.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, and then closed it shut again. "Never mind."

"What?" I poked his bicep.

"Nothing." I crossed my arms and scowled, dissatisfied with his response.

"Have you heard back from UW's financial aid office yet?" He reached to the floor for UW's admission letter. The University of Washington, located in Seattle, was the only school which accepted all three of us, but it also gave me the least funding.

"Nope." I had sent in an appeal to their aid office. "I'll need an on-campus job to afford UW."

"Did you get the Joseph Clark award?" Leah suddenly reappeared at the door. She had a mug of steaming hot chocolate in her hand and a slim paperback under her arm, whose cover I didn't recognize.

"What award?" Jacob threw my UW acceptance back on the floor together with the rest of the pile and raised himself to a sitting position at the edge of the bed. He reached for his sneakers and started putting them on.

"The $5,000 annual grant for Native American students. We're all supposed to get it—for you know, making it to college." Leah rested her mug on the bedside table and sat down next to me.

"Oh?" Jacob looked up. "I didn't really pay attention to the breakdown. I just know Billy doesn't have to pay a cent. Thanks for not getting any for me, by the way." He nudged at Leah's mug.

"You're preparing for a game. You're supposed to eat proteins, not carbs." Leah rebutted. "Same goes for you, Bella, if you want to keep to your diet you shouldn't eat at bedtime."

"That's so not fair," I grumbled. "I wish I were Quileute too." It was not the first time I thought it but it was the first time I voiced the thought aloud. After years of close association with Leah and Jacob, I was more than a little jealous of their inborn athleticism and superior physique. I was a short, scrawny white girl who couldn't run more than a hundred feet without panting or tripping.

"Oh no, I don't think you would wish that on yourself." Jacob threw a sly look at me as he tied his laces. "Anyway, my deal with UW has a work component too. We can look for a job together." He reached out and tugged my big toe affectionately. "Gotta go, girls." He walked over to Leah and gave her a hug.

"You going to Claire's?" My shoulders tensed as I heard Leah's question. I was still unused to sharing—unlike Leah and I, Jacob dated. I was stunned when Leah told me several months back that Jacob was sexually active. "How do you know?" I asked, my voice coming out funny. Leah shrugged, refusing to provide more details. It was hard to look at Jacob the same way again.

Thankfully, none of the girls lasted long, and he still found time most weekends for us. I know other kids at school talked about us sometimes—the top jock and his lady friends—wondering if we were 'fuckbuddies', to use the term I had overheard in the locker room. I believed we were above such baseless gossip. After all, how could they understand the way Jacob, Leah and I felt about one another?

Claire was the younger sister of Quil Ateara, a boy our age who went to school on the reservation. Jacob had started hanging around with him recently, together with another reservation kid called Embry Call. I assumed that was how he knew Claire. She was his flavor of the month, so to say. I expected him to tire of her in no time.

"Nah. Gotta wake up for training at six." I felt an inexplicable sense of relief as he picked up his jacket and slung it over his shoulder. "See you Monday." He closed the door behind him.

"Do you love him?" Leah tossed her book on her pillow and flopped down beside me, occupying Jacob's earlier spot.

"What?" I squeaked.

"You know what I mean." She pushed herself up to a sitting position against the headboard and started reading. I reached out and pulled her arm towards me so I could see the cover. "_Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit,_" I read aloud. I considered myself well-read, but I had never heard of the author. "What kind of title is that?"

"Nothing you would understand." Leah plucked my fingers off her wrist.

"Excuse me!" I swatted her wrist and tried to snatch the book, but she was too fast, resting it quickly on her other side.

"You know what I'm talking about, Bella. You have feelings for Jacob." She picked up her mug and sipped thoughtfully, watching as I fell on my back and crossed my arms.

"No, I don't. You and Jake just talk in codes and expect me to understand." I got up crossly and headed to the bathroom. I was perturbed. Jacob was my best friend, and as I'd learnt from the example of him and his teammates, girlfriends come and go, but friends are forever. I did love him, as much as I loved Leah. But the love that Leah was insinuating would just destroy the bond between us. _No, _I told myself, _what we had was far better than the heady, short-lived passion of high school romance. _

When I returned, Leah was still seated in the same position, her nose buried in the book. "Time to sleep." I nudged her foot and crawled in beside her.

"You're pretty obvious, Bella." Leah continued reading as she addressed me. "You applied to like half the schools in the Pac-10."

"Did not," I replied defensively. "They all have good English programs."

"Yeah, but your first filter was the quality of their football teams." I blushed, and turned my face away immediately. That _had_ been one of my considerations. "Yeah, that's cos we'd talked about going out of state together, remember?" My rebuttal was a little too late to sound convincing, but I tried.

"_I _didn't apply to UCLA. Or Oregon. Or Florida."

"Whatever."

"Did you know Jake asked Claire to the Prom?" Leah glanced at me. 

_Prom?_ _That was still two months away._ I swallowed hard. "Is that even allowed? How old is she, fourteen?" I asked in as even a voice as I could manage.

"She'll pass for a senior." Leah shrugged. "Tyler asked me too." _Great_. Now I felt even worse. We hadn't talked about Prom, but I presumed that the three of us would boycott the event, staying home to watch bad prom movies from Netflix. I rolled onto my stomach and buried my face in a pillow.

"Hey." Leah reached over and ran her fingers through my hair. "We don't have to go if you don't feel like it." Her voice softened. "Or you can be my date."

"What about Tyler?" My voice came out muffled as I continued breathing into the pillow.

"He has plenty of choices. I don't even know why he asked me." Tyler Crowley was also on the football team and a serious rival with Jacob for Senior Stud of the year.

"I feel so unwanted, Lee." I moaned into my pillow. "I'm what, seventeen, and I've never been kissed."

"I'm sure Mike Newton won't mind helping you with that." I cringed. Mike was _alright,_ I mean, he was nice, well-mannered and smart. His family was comparably well-off—they owned Newton's Grocers and Newton's Outfitter's, the only supermarket and outdoor store in Forks. For some reason, he had been trying to ask me out to dinner for the past few months. But going out with him didn't feel _right_ - he was like plain vanilla. I wasn't sure we could keep up a conversation beyond five minutes, so I turned him down repeatedly.

"You know, you should give the boy a chance. Try talking to him. It would make his day y'know? Just saying." Leah got out of bed and soon after, I heard the sound of the tap running in the bathroom. She returned a few minutes later, turning out the lights. The pressure on the bed changed as Leah's long, lithe body slipped behind me and her arm curled around my waist. We'd spent countless weekends in the same bed since we were young—Jacob too, but Leah's parents put a stop to it after her first period.

"I can help you too, you know." Leah pressed her forehead to my hair and whispered.

"Eeww… gross, Leah." I turned around and smacked her butt.

"You're missing out, babe." Leah let out a casual laugh as she released her hold on me and rolled onto her back.

"Bella. Should I go to Stanford?" She spoke after a long silence. I turned to face her, but could only make out her eyes, which were wide open and fixed on a spot in the ceiling. Suddenly, fearless Leah looked lost and vulnerable.

"I'll miss you." I placed my hand on her arm. "But it's a pretty awesome opportunity you know? There aren't many people dumb enough to turn down a full ride to Stanford."

"Well yeah, except maybe me." She sighed. "I'll miss you too, and Jake's sorry ass, although I won't tell him that to his face. Don't you dare tell him." She turned and I felt her eyes on me. "Promise?"

I curled my pinky around hers. "Sure." I laughed. "I promise not to tell him how much you'll miss him."

The next morning, Leah sent in her acceptance to Stanford and I agreed to be her date for Prom. When I updated Jacob at the locker room on Monday, he gave me an odd look.

"What?" I huffed. "At least _someone_ bothered to ask me." I turned away and started walking towards my classroom.

"How do you know I wasn't going to ask you?" He caught up with me in a few strides.

"You're going with Claire. Everyone knows that." I avoided his eyes and continued walking.

"I thought you didn't care about Prom." He reached out for my elbow and tried to stop me. Before I could take another step, he was in front of me. I froze as he gripped my arms. "Leah's going to kill me for this," he muttered under his breath.

"What?" I wasn't sure I heard him correctly.

"Bells, go with me?" I could feel his eyes on mine, searching my thoughts. Did he think I was stupid or what? Or was he just trying to make me feel better? Whatever the case, I wasn't going to be his second choice.

"Thanks, but no thanks." I shut my eyes tightly and pulled away from his grip. I heard him call my name, but I didn't look back.

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><p><em>Author's Note: Thank you to everyone for your encouragement and support on this story! The next part's ready but I won't have time this weekend to finish editing it. I decided to post this first and save the rest for the next chapter. Reviews = good excuse to write while on holiday with the hubs :)<em>

_Major thanks to **Leelator** for her help with this story._


	3. Chapter 3

_Usual disclaimer: Everything Twilight's not mine. Just engaging in some creative experimentation._

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

Perhaps, you may ask, why did it not cross my mind that my best friend could possibly harbor _certain feelings_ toward me? But you forget that I was only seventeen, an age when I believed love was a meteor that lit up the whole night sky, an all-consuming burst of starlight that would ravish my soul. Shakespeare may have said love is blind; I think I was blind to love.

The whole business about Jacob's date left a sour taste in my mouth. I almost didn't go to Prom, but then he and Leah were nominated for Prom King and Queen. It didn't feel right not supporting my two best friends. We bought tickets to Prom on the very last day. That's how I ended up reading the tea leaves wrong again.

"You should just let your hair down." Leah appraised my hairdo as I tried different styles in the mirror. "The up-do's glamorous and all but it makes you look old."

We were in my bedroom getting ready for Prom. Leah's curves were tightly wrapped in an imitation Hervé Léger bandage dress which she had ordered online. The lime green was a perfect match for her bronzed skin, while the dress showed off her fantastic figure and never-ending legs. She wore gold pumps and matching gold eye shadow, her short cropped hair spiked up stylishly like Halle Berry. I couldn't quite remember when Leah last kept her hair long—was it seventh grade, just before she joined the track and field team?

As usual, my choice was more girly—a 60s off-shoulder chiffon dress with a full knee-length skirt in Valentino red from a vintage store in Port Angeles, paired with strappy gold heels.

"Alright then." I loosened the bun and let my dark wavy hair fall down my back. "How's this?" I turned to face Leah.

"Wow." Leah was speechless for a few seconds. "You look like Anne Hathaway."

"Ha ha. Very funny." I returned to the mirror and started applying my mascara. "If I had even half her looks I wouldn't be stuck here in Washington."

"Hey, there's nothing bad about hanging around here, you know—"

"Says the future California girl." I raised an eyebrow at her. We had toyed briefly with moving to California together but, in the end, the sums didn't stack up. It was much more affordable for me to stay in Washington.

"I wanted to—" Leah was interrupted by a sharp knock on the door. It opened a crack and Charlie's voice traveled tentatively across the gap.

"Girls, are you ready yet? Jacob's been waiting downstairs for the past fifteen minutes."

"Dad, you could have told us—"

"Jake said not to disturb you girls, so, uh, I guess I'll uh, see you downstairs." The floorboard creaked as he made his way back downstairs.

Leah let out a snicker. After all these years, my father was still uncomfortable with entering my room. He never knew quite how to handle puberty when it arrived on our doorstep, and having a long-distance mom didn't ease the growing pains. I would have been lost without Leah and her mom, Sue. Everything I knew about the birds and the bees, I learned from Sue Clearwater.

"We'll be right down, Charlie," Leah yelled in return as she grabbed her purse.

An unpleasant taste seared the back of my mouth as we descended the stairs. Leah only told me last night that Jacob would be our escort. I wasn't quite ready to see him with Claire in their Prom best—no actually, I never felt comfortable seeing them together. It disrupted the dynamics of our friendship, and Jacob was totally oblivious to how Leah and I felt. He decided to start with the UW Huskies in the fall, but as the day of his departure drew near and Claire's shadow grew longer, I began to wonder if his choice had everything to do with her and nothing to do with me.

"You're frowning." Leah stopped me just before we came in full sight of our audience in the living room. She lifted her index finger and rubbed a crease I hadn't noticed on my forehead. "Don't spoil your make-up."

"My two favorite girls in the world." Jacob bounded up the steps, meeting us in the middle of the staircase with a huge grin. "Jesus Leah, I'm going to have a hard time keeping my teammates off you." His eyes ran up and down Leah's tight dress, which hid nothing.

"I can fend them off myself, thank you." Leah accepted his hand as he led her down the steps and into the living room. He returned shortly, pausing on the step below as his eyes took me in. I stole a long, lingering glance at him in the muted light of the stairway. The man that stood before me didn't look an iota like my childhood best friend, and yet it was all him—sharp, suave, and unbelievably grown-up. After a long silence, I placed my hand in his and we descended the last few steps together. It felt like we were leaving our teenage years behind us.

"Say, 'Cheese!'" I froze on the landing, blinded temporarily by the flash. Blinking, my eyes made out the hazy outline of a waif of a girl with a camera in her hands. She wore a simple chiffon dress with a fairy skirt in baby pink, her long hair loosely pinned up, the rest falling naturally down her back.

"Hey, Claire, let me take that. Come on, Leah, let me be the cameraman." We gathered on the steps for a series of photos while Charlie clicked away enthusiastically. "I'll upload and send these to Renee later. She's so excited about your Prom!"

_Yeah, well, if she really cared she would be here. _After all these years—twelve to be precise—I still couldn't bring myself to forgive Renee for walking out on us. We had a good relationship nowadays, but we were more like friends. I know Charlie never quite forgot her, and secretly blamed himself for her departure. Me, I just thought she was reckless and self-centered.

I felt a large, warm hand on my shoulder and looked up. Jacob's eyes flashed at me, as if to say, _let it go. _I know he understood—his own mother passed away shortly after Renee left, leaving us both orphans in the care of the Clearwater's while our fathers grieved. That's how Leah became our big sister and protector; with her our lives were filled with sunshine and laughter again. We were so fragile then, in part I suppose that was why our parents gave in so easily to our request to attend school together.

Charlie took a few last pictures as we exited, making our way to Jacob's rented Mustang. Leah told me he made a special trip to Port Angeles last night for this car since his Rabbit was too small for us. I knew I couldn't turn him down when I heard that.

The Prom committee did their job well. I hardly recognized the gym, which now looked like a glamorous ballroom. Darkness hid the worn parquet floor, and soft, flush lighting highlighted the flowers and streamers in strategic corners. There was a large dance floor in the center, its perimeter lined with benches from the cafeteria, each draped with starched white cloths and gold ribbon.

"I'll go and get some punch—you girls grab a seat." Jacob disappeared into the crowd, leaving us standing at the entrance. I turned towards Leah and noticed Claire's eyes sparkling. As much as I hated to admit it, she had a certain innocence that was attractive. Leah was pulled away by a track teammate, and suddenly I was left alone with Claire.

I didn't know what to say to her, so I motioned her to a table at the back of the hall. We sat in uncomfortable silence for a few moments, although she looked like she wanted to get something off her chest. Finally, she spoke up. "Bella?" she asked nervously.

"Yeah?" _I don't bite_, I almost added.

"Will you help me keep an eye on Jake in Seattle?"

"I'm sorry?" _What was that supposed to mean?_

"Well, make sure he sleeps properly, for one. He's always so busy he can't keep track of his appointments, and sometimes he forgets to sleep."

"Uh-huh." I wasn't expecting that.

"And make sure he doesn't go crazy with all the partying, and the girls," she continued. "I mean, I'm not under any illusion that he's not going to get tempted. It _is_ the big city, after all."

_Huh._ Did this girl really care about him? I was starting to re-assess Claire, when Leah and Jacob stumbled towards us, his arm around her waist as they laughed over a joke. Leah set down the tray of drinks before us.

"Coke for you, baby girl." He handed a red plastic cup to Claire, pulling out a stool and settling behind me. Jacob still hadn't spoken directly to me all night, apart from some perfunctory remarks in the car. We barely started on our drinks when another of his teammates pulled him away, leaving an awkward silence hanging in the space between Claire and me that was drowned out only when the stereo kicked in. The first riffs of "Teenage Dream" started playing over the speakers. I sipped my fruit punch miserably as Claire started questioning Leah about Stanford.

"I'm so envious." I heard her gush. "It must be so exciting to move to California. The farthest I've ever been from La Push is Port Angeles."

"It'll be your turn soon enough," was Leah's curt reply. I chuckled silently. We both felt the same towards Claire.

"Let's dance." Leah walked round to my side and reached for my hand. "Claire, you don't mind do you?" She didn't even wait for my answer or Claire's as she pulled me onto the dance floor.

"Leah, you know I hate Katy Perry! And it wasn't nice to leave Claire alone like that." I stood limply as Leah started gyrating to the music.

"It's not our job to baby-sit her." She shrugged and continued dancing. "Come on, that's the whole point of Prom. You're supposed to let yourself loose and dance to stupid music." Leah placed her hands on my hips. Reluctantly, I started to move a little.

"I wanted to tell you something, Bella." Leah's serious tone fell heavy against the bubble gum soundtrack. "I'm not going to Stanford."

"What?" My jaw hung open for a few seconds. "Leah, how could you ... ?"

"Stanford means nothing to me if I don't have my two best friends by my side." There was a dark look in her eyes, one that I never saw before.

"But ... didn't you pay a deposit already? And UW, will they still take you?"

"Yeah, term only starts in September, same as Stanford, so there's still time. It'll work out."

"I ... I don't know what to say, Leah." This was a huge sacrifice on Leah's part: if she went to Stanford she would be learning from the nation's best and brightest, hell, she'd probably become rich and famous one day. She deserved to go to Stanford, not stay behind with the rest of us in Washington.

"You don't want me there?" Doubt and uncertainty flashed in her eyes.

"No!" I said, almost a little too forcefully. "I mean, I'm glad you'll be with us but—it's a big sacrifice, and I honestly don't think we're worth it ... "

"Oh, Bella." Leah's voice choked a little as she pulled me into an embrace. Her shoulders shook and I stroked her back as she sobbed into my shoulder.

"Shh, it'll be alright." I comforted her. Looking up, I saw Jacob standing at the edge of the dance floor, hands on his hips. He shot me a questioning look. "Later," I mouthed.

Eventually, Leah raised her head and straightened herself. "You okay?" I brushed her hair away from her brow. Her eyes were red.

"Yeah." She smiled weakly. "Sorry, I messed up your dress." She tried to pat my dress sleeve dry with her hand—and then another hand, rougher and larger, covered hers, pulling her away. Jacob stepped between us and folded Leah into his arms. He had a way with her that I could never copy. Retreating to a bench at the side, I watched quietly as he spoke to her in an inaudible tone, his hand cupped gently around the back of her head.

My mind started to wander and the bodies in front of me merged into a blur. It was still a little hard to believe that high school had come to an end. It was, to quote George Eliot, as if the golden gates of childhood were about to close forever behind us. A year ago when we started our college applications, I was thrilled to bits at the possibilities before me—much like Claire's earlier enthusiasm. But, sitting there, I felt a pang of regret, as if the age of innocence had passed.

"Penny for your thoughts?" It took me a second to recognize Mike Newton. He wore a sharp new suit—tailored, evidently—a silk bow tie, and patent leathers. His outfit probably cost over a thousand dollars. Shifting uncomfortably, he placed his weight on one foot, then another, as if debating whether to come closer and risk rejection. Remembering Leah's advice, I gestured for him to sit down.

"Enjoying yourself?" He settled a safe distance beside me.

"S'alright." Whatever Jacob said must have worked. Leah's expression lightened up considerably and she was dancing again.

"So, Seattle, right?"

"Yeah."

"When do you leave?"

"Not till September," I replied. "I'll be working at Outfitters all summer."

"That's great!" His eyes lit up. "I'll be working there too. My parents insist I understand all the nuts and bolts before I leave for USC.

"We start in August though, so I'll be leaving much earlier." His voice turned forlorn.

I didn't answer, my eyes still on the dance floor. Rihanna was playing; she was one of Leah's favorites and I knew it would get her in the mood. Sure enough, Leah started imitating Rihanna's dance moves and Jacob was her Chris Brown.

"They look good, together, huh?"

"Yeah."

"So-say, Bella, you aren't going out with Jacob are you?" Mike spoke rapidly, seeming afraid I would cut him off. "Cos if you aren't—and he's an idiot not to want to—I was kinda hoping you would ... I mean, do you mind if I take you out to dinner sometime?"

I stared at him blankly. Wasn't he dating Jessica Stanley now? As though he had read my thoughts, he continued, "Just—just see it as a farewell dinner, since we're all heading our separate ways. No obligations. I'd really like to get to know you. You seem real sweet but it's so hard to talk to you since you're always with Leah or Jacob at school... . Sorry, I hope I didn't say the wrong thing... ."

That was the longest string of sentences Mike Newton had ever spoken to me. Even if he sounded like a shy, stammering idiot, his sincerity still touched me. And then I asked myself, why was I denying myself the pleasure of expanding my social circle? If Jacob had no qualms going out with other girls while hanging out with us, what was there to stop me from getting to know other guys? It's not like we were going to jump into bed the next second. A few moments later, I raised my eyes to his and simply said, "Sure."

My response elicited a grin from Mike that stretched from ear to ear. Shifting closer, he placed a hand behind my back as he took down my number. He cupped my elbow gently, as if to pull me up—when Jacob cut in.

"Dance?" He stood in front of me with his hand outstretched, casting an unfriendly stare at Mike.

"So, uh, I'll call you later?" Mike asked. His voice shook a little tremulously. I guess Jacob could be quite intimidating. I sighed and placed my hand in his.

"That wasn't very nice," I chided as he slipped an arm around my back. We swayed out-of-rhythm to the beat, which I recognized as some silly Taylor Swift break-up song.

"I thought you didn't like him. I was just trying to help you get the message across." He gave me his best hurt puppy dog look. "Was he trying to ask you out again?"

"Yeah." I shrugged. "And I said yes this time."

His eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"What does it matter to you?" _Do I ever question you about your girls?_ "I can go out with whomever I like." I retaliated.

He did that annoying thing again—opening his mouth as if to speak, and then shutting it again. "Sure, sure, you can go out with Mike Newton ... if that's what makes you happy."

"Thanks for your permission." I decided sarcasm was a good antidote to his righteousness.

"Leah told me." He changed the topic. "What do you think?"

"It's kinda sad," I said after a pause. "She's giving up a fantastic opportunity, and I don't think we're sufficient grounds to hold her back. What did you tell her?"

"I'm not sure you really understand her, Bells."

"Wh—what are you saying?"

"I mean, she looks confident and sure of herself and all. But inside she's really vulnerable." he said. "Plus, there're a few things she's quite confused about."

_Huh? _Were we talking about the same Leah? I tilted my head, puzzled.

"Just ... she's a little confused about her feelings." He left it at that, sliding his arm down to my waist and curling his hand around my hip. He pulled me closer and placed his other hand at the nape of my neck. "Maybe I am too," he said under his breath, threading his fingers into my hair.

"Yeah, that's why you haven't talked to me all night," I retorted. I tried to take a step back but he held me firmly in his grip.

"Hey ... " He pulled me even closer, as if that were possible, and placed his lips on my ear. "I couldn't say anything because you took my breath away."

"Right." I rolled my eyes. "Where do you learn these pick up lines, huh, Jake?" Eyes wide, he stiffened and loosened his hold on me.

"I mean, is Claire okay with this?" I nudged over his shoulder. Claire was just a few feet away, dancing with Tyler, who seemed to have a thing for Quileute girls.

"With what?" He cocked his head at me.

"You know. This." I nudged at his hand.

He didn't answer but instead took my left hand and placed it around his neck.

"We broke up last week," he spoke after a few long moments.

_What? _The music was so loud I wasn't sure I had heard him correctly. I lifted my gaze—and was met with eyes that reflected a muddled mix of emotions: hope, worry and uncertainty. I looked down at my feet, confused.

We danced quietly for the rest of the song. When it ended, the hosts for the evening, Angela Weber and Eric Yorkie emerged from the wings of the stage. It was time to garland the winners of the Prom King and Queen competition.

"They're calling you." I prompted him. Holding my gaze, his hand lingered on the small of my back. "Go." I hurried him. He finally released me and headed onstage.

I found Claire seated near the stage and sat down beside her as the emcees began explaining the rules, criteria, and voting process. The vote was a pure popularity contest. There were three male nominees: Jacob, Tyler, and a basketball player named Jeff Newman, while Leah's rivals for Prom Queen were Lauren and Jessica. I couldn't help thinking it would be a form of poetic justice for ninth grade Biology if Leah and Jacob triumphed tonight.

And then my thought actually became reality. I almost couldn't believe it until I saw the dirty looks exchanged between Lauren and Jessica as first Leah, and then Jacob were crowned Queen and King.

My heart was bursting with pride for my two best friends. It was probably the first time in the history of Forks High that two kids from the reservation made it so far, not just in school, but also socially. Jacob was our high school's star football player, so his triumph was just icing on the (beef)cake, but Leah's victory reflected her place in the hearts of our classmates, won over by her charm and natural leadership. Lights flashed as Jacob circled his arm around Leah's shoulder and pulled her towards him. And then, unexpectedly, he bent her slightly at the waist and placed a kiss on her lips.

It didn't register immediately, but a few days later, I saw a photo of their kiss on the front page of the Forks High Journal. Their tanned, well-toned bodies moulded into each other, Leah's eyes half-opened in surprise, contentment clearly visible in Jacob's expression. They looked like the perfect couple.

The thought struck me then: was Leah interested in Jacob? Was that what he had been trying to tell me?

* * *

><p><em>AN: Major thanks to **Leelator**, my beta, who makes my writing so much better.  
><em>


	4. Chapter 4

_Usual disclaimer: I don't care to own anything Twilight. Just borrowing._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Four<strong>

What I remember most about college was the music. Growing up in Forks, my music repertoire was limited to Billboard's American Top 40. But in Seattle, my world opened up. I was assaulted by new sounds everywhere—not just songs but a cacophony of accents, tones and languages from around the world.

Then there was my roommate, Alice. She was a force of nature, full of energy—and always belting out songs, from Puccini's _La Boheme_ to Lady Gaga. She played the guitar, a vintage Gibson, and practiced in the common lounge until the wee hours of the night. The next morning, her singing in the shower would wake us up, bright and early. And what a voice she had! Deep, soulful, and so versatile.

I did not know it then, but meeting Alice changed my life. Sometimes, I wonder how things would have changed, were I drawn to a different residence hall and matched with a different girl. Would I still have met Edward? Maybe I would have figured out Jacob's intentions earlier. And Leah … surely I would have seen that coming. But I get ahead of myself. I was about to tell you about the day it all started.

It was a Friday evening, the end of the first week of classes. I still remember everything, as clear as if it were yesterday. It was an unsettling period: the University of Washington was huge—the campus a massive sprawl that could swallow Forks whole with room to spare, the student body several times that of the population of Forks and La Push combined. Everyone was so brilliant—they played the French horn or Indian sitar, spoke five languages, and/or grew up in London, Cape Town or Singapore. It was overwhelming for a small town girl like me.

"Bells! Over here!" I stepped onto the ledge of Drumheller Fountain, trying to spot Jacob and Leah in the sea of human traffic on Red Square. It wasn't difficult; I soon spied their two tall heads drifting southward from Central Plaza.

I still didn't know what to make of their relationship. As far as I could tell, they weren't dating. But they were keeping something from me, I was sure of it. It was just a little difficult to tease out over the phone. We hadn't hung out together in over three months, since both of them left Forks before me—Jacob in June, for summer camp with the Huskies, while Leah was selected for an elite science program and started in August. For the first time, I celebrated my birthday in September without them. I remained behind in Forks, working at Outfitters' until the week before classes started, trying to save as much cash as possible for college.

Maybe, in the same way, they were wondering about Mike Newton. We saw each other nearly every weekday that summer—after all, we worked in the same two thousand square foot shop. He was far more pleasant company than I initially gave him credit for, once he got past his initial shyness.

But it was difficult for things to develop with Jacob's strange behavior. He wasn't even in Forks, but somehow managed to disrupt every single date I had with Mike. On our first date, Jacob called me three times from Seattle—as I was getting ready, during dinner itself, and the third call came (with prescient timing) just as Mike was about to kiss me goodbye on my doorstep. We went out for dinner a few more times. Each time, the same thing would happen, or one of his friends from the reservation would find a convenient way to disrupt our date. It was kind of hard to get the conversation going with a pesky long-distance friend butting in every few minutes. Eventually, Mike stopped asking me out.

I was more than a little annoyed by Jacob's possessiveness, and wondered if there was anything more to his actions than friendly brotherliness. But our conversation always remained squeaky clean and platonic: about his new teammates, the day's training, my workday at Outfitter's. We would talk on the phone all night, but he never showed any sign of wanting to take things further. So, I carried on thinking of him as a brother, assuming he thought likewise of me.

"Bella Wella!" A pair of strong arms wrapped around my waist, lifting me off the ledge and into the air.

"Jake, you dork!" I didn't like his new nickname for me, Wella being the name of a popular hair salon he discovered off campus. "Let me down!" I flailed my arms, pushing at his shoulders as he spun me around.

"Aww, didn't you miss me?" I caught a whiff of his familiar peppermint aftershave as he lowered me to my feet. _At least that hasn't changed_. He surprised me on Sunday with a new hairstyle, a buzz cut almost, with sideburns that highlighted his cheekbones and strong jaw. But something else was different … _Oh._

"What's with the polo shirt?" I tugged at the edge of his sleeve. It had a neat little button detail at the edge. "Part of the new Husky look or something?"

"No, he's trying to stand out." Leah stepped between us and gave me a tight hug. She draped her left arm around my shoulder as she teased him. "Poor Jakey Blackie. Stuck with all the other engineering geeks at McCarty. Can't you tell? It's part of his new look. I'm Jacob Fierce, hear me roar!" She beat her chest and let out a loud hoot.

"Then why is his shirt still tucked in? Major fail. So uncool, Jake." I raised a critical eyebrow, easily picking up where Leah left off. Oh, how I'd missed our usual repartee.

"Hey … !" Jacob complained. He awkwardly pulled his shirt out of his chinos. Leah stifled a snort, sending both of us into whoops of laughter. I lost my balance, almost falling into the fountain, but Jacob caught me in the nick of time, chivalrously pulling me back onto my feet. He didn't let go, his hand remaining on my arm as we headed for the shuttle stop and boarded the bus leaving campus.

We alighted on University Way, in front of a nondescript concrete building. Jacob led us around back, past a long line of students, and yanked open a heavy metal door.

Before our eyes was a bustling kitchen, each station a hive of activity—flames licking pots, cooks expertly maneuvering pans and spatulas, servers plating food on trays. One of them, a large, well built man with a slight paunch, turned around at the sound of the door slamming shut.

"Black! Welcome back!" The server walked over and bumped fists with Jacob. He wore an apron, his hair neatly tucked under his Huskies cap. "These your two girls? I'm Emmett, by the way." He bent down and gave Leah and me a rather oily kiss.

"Emmett here runs Artie's," Jacob explained. Apparently, the man I mistook for a waiter was once a star quarterback at UW, who injured himself and ended up running one of the most successful restaurants in University Village. But I was more intrigued by the name Artie's, which was short for The Fighting Artichoke. _Where __did I hear that __before?_

"So which one of these gorgeous ladies is your girlfriend? This one here?" Emmett batted his eyelids at me outrageously. "So, can I have the other?" He winked at me and slung another arm around Leah's shoulder.

"Neither, but they're both unavailable." Jacob answered over his shoulder as he shepherded us out of the kitchen, leaving Emmet's deep laughter trailing behind.

As the aluminum doors swung open, we entered a dining room that looked like the inside of an old warehouse. It was tastefully renovated with mahogany floors and exposed piping, while huge, framed photographs of what must be famous Husky athletes were grouped by era on the walls. Near the main entrance, there was a small stage. It looked like there would be a live band performing later.

We had a clear view of the entire restaurant from our booth. It was obviously a popular hangout with the student athlete crowd. Jacob gave us a running commentary over dinner, and I could finally put a face to the names of his teammates. "That's Ryan Richardson, second-string wide receiver. Probably won't make it this year either … . Tom Bradley. Tight end. Cos of his size."

"A what-end?" I almost choked on my food. What a weird name for a position. After all these years, football was still a foreign language to me. "You're taller than him, so why don't you take his spot?"

"Bella, Jake's a quarterback—"

"Bells, I'm crushed. All these years of watching me play and you thought I was a tight end?"

"Nooo." _Well, okay_. In all honesty, I did have difficulties identifying Jacob on the field—the few times I _had_ gone to his games. I usually just copied Leah, echoing her as she cheered and clapped. "That's not what I meant. All I was saying is with his size—" Jacob wiggled an eyebrow, distracting me entirely. "Ugh, forget it." I buried my head in my hands.

"Well, Jake has to earn his position, or his ass will meet a tight end too."

"Leah…!" I groaned. Our jokes were getting more graphic these days, and filled with innuendo. I got it, but it still embarrassed me to no end.

"And who's _that_?" Leah nudged at a statuesque, well-endowed blonde at the bar. She was perched on a barstool, holding court with a bevy of jocks groveling at her feet.

"That's Rozzie." Jacob glanced behind his shoulder. "Can't remember the rest of her name. Head cheerleader. She thinks _every_ guy on the football team wants to sleep with her."

"Do you?" Leah challenged.

"Fuck no."

"Hell yeah." Leah teased. "Hey, she's pretty hot."

"Yeah, but … " _Did Jacob just blush?_

"Ooh … freshie Jakey wants to get laid!"

"Fuck off, Leah."

"Okay." I stepped in, afraid of where this conversation was going to end up. "Enough, kids."

"She's got a thing for Emmett." Jacob said, seemingly oblivious to my courageous intervention.

"What? He's like, ten years older?" Leah spoke in a scandalized tone.

"Huh? I thought he was like, twenty-five? She must be a senior or something, huh?"

"Bella, you're so clueless. He must be at least thirty. Right, Jake?"

"He took us to our last Rose Bowl title, which was in 2001, so yeah, I guess so?"

At that very moment, Emmett stepped out of the kitchen and headed in Rozzie's direction. But he walked straight past her, ignoring the amorous glances she threw his way. He leaped onto the stage, commandeering one of the microphones.

"Ahem … " He cleared his throat, instantly attracting everyone's attention. "Ladies and gentlemen!

"As you know, the team at Artie's prides itself on discovering Washington's best musical talent. Now, tonight we've got a very special surprise for you—a band that combines the best of funk, electronic, and Lady Gaga. Let's put our hands together to welcome Seattle's next biggest act, Alice and the Altar Boys!"

An anticipatory buzz filled the hall. In the darkness, four figures took the stage. The spotlight flashed, revealing each band member slowly—stage right was the keyboardist, tall and lanky; stage left was the bassist, who had a shock of reddish blond hair; at the drums—the crowd roared, it was Emmett! He played a sharp, snazzy drum roll and nearly brought the house down. Finally, the light shifted center stage, exposing a tall, bleached blonde with a Gibson strapped around her—_waitaminute ..._

"That's my roommate!" _Alice? What the ... ? _I rubbed my eyes in disbelief.

"Bella, you mean you didn't even know your roommate was in a band?"

"No, I mean, I know she plays the guitar." I raised my voice as the music picked up. "But I had no idea ... oh my ... " Alice _had_ invited me to her gig—this very gig at Artie's ...

"She doesn't look anything like you described," Jacob mused. "I thought you said she dyed her hair black."

"Yes, that's obviously a wig. But … whoa, those platforms must be at least six inches. I swear, she's less than five feet." I was astounded by Alice's onstage transformation.

The bass line ended and Alice stepped up to the microphone. Her sultry voice built up slowly to the chorus, which hit fierce and defiant. Before long, the band had half the customers on their feet. Leah was the first to stand up, joining the throng of dancing bodies at the balustrade a few feet away.

"Come on, Bells." Jacob reached across the table for my hand. He pulled me up before I could resist. Their music was infectious—even awkward me started bobbing my head to the beat. I didn't quite know how to classify their style—it was retro, folksy, and pop all at the same time.

Midway through the song, Jacob had somehow slipped an arm around my shoulder. "They're pretty awesome." He pulled me closer as it ended with a dramatic finish. My breath hitched as I caught his fresh, minty smell again. _Since when was he standing so close? _ Shaking my head, I tried to clear the haze that had mysteriously permeated my thoughts.

I looked up and noticed the keyboardist staring in our direction. He was more than thirty feet away, but he was definitely watching us. _Weird. _I glanced at Leah, who had struck up a conversation with another girl in front, then at Jacob, who smiled sweetly at me. Neither of them seemed to have noticed anything amiss, so I shrugged it off, joining the crowd's applause and letting out a loud cheer for Alice.

The next song started slow, in counterpoint to their first piece. Jacob's arm dropped to my waist, his hand resting on my hip. Suddenly, I could feel his warm breath against my ear. An involuntary tremor rippled through me, all bodily senses running amok. I was terrified to look up, but eventually I raised my eyes— ... his face, his nose, was just a hair's breath from my cheek ... .

But at the corner of my eye I sensed a slight movement. That same pair of queer eyes ... jolted me uncomfortably and I shifted.

"Sorry. You okay?" Jacob dropped his hand away from my hip. I should have clarified it wasn't him, but—_did he just try to kiss me?—_I couldn't think clearly. Instead, I nodded, giving him a forced smile. He stepped away, keeping his hands to himself for the rest of the set—and suddenly I missed his warmth, his closeness, but it was too late.

"Time to go, babe." A pointy heel nudged my sneaker-clad foot. I had retreated to our table during the encore. "The last bus leaves at eleven."

I was hoping to introduce Alice to my friends as we crossed the stage on our way out, but she was surrounded by a swarm of fans. I called her name, hoping she would hear. "Seeya later," I mouthed as she turned her head towards us.

"Isabella Swan!" Blond Alice squealed. The sea parted as she trotted over in her six-inch stilts. "You made it! I'm so glad you came!" She threw her arms around me, comfortably tucking my head into her now eye-level bosom. _Hm … that didn't feel real either._

"I demand an introduction." She stepped back and crossed her arms as she appraised my two companions.

"Uh, yeah, sorry. I was going to come over, but—"

"Excuses, Bella. Well, this must be Jacob—the future hope of the Huskies." She wiggled an eyebrow at him. "And you're Leah," she concluded as she looked to my right. "So, this is the terrible threesome of Forks."

"Bella, I can't believe you gave us such an unoriginal name. You're a writer, for goodness sake." Leah shook her head.

"Oh, tell me about it." Alice rolled her eyes. "This girl is full of clichés." _Great._ It looked like they were about to start on me.

"You must be my sister's roommate." I whirled around as a cool hand clasped my shoulder; looking up I was met with a pair of mesmerizing cat-green eyes the same shade as Alice's.

_The keyboardist was her brother?_ "I've heard so much about you. Edward Cullen." Yes, Alice had mentioned her brother, but what had she said? I fought to recall.

"All good, I hope." I glanced at him nervously. Up close, I realized he was actually very handsome. It was just his attire that made him stand out. The loafers and tailored blazer were a little out of place for a college town.

"Yes, in fact. She said you write. Poetry, right? And stories for children." _Alice told him that?_ I wanted to sink into the ground. Children's fiction was my secret obsession, something I was too embarrassed to discuss with even Jacob or Leah. It just seemed so immature.

"I used to write, too," he added. "I was an English major, at Yale." _Oh ... right._ Now I remembered. Edward was on sabbatical in Seattle, taking a break from out east where he was a lawyer at some big firm. My interests seemed so juvenile in comparison.

"Uh, yeah ... " I bit my lip. "It's nothing, really—"

"No, don't say that." I felt his gaze on my face again. "I think it's fascinating. Have you ever thought of writing songs?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Jacob tap his foot impatiently. He gestured to leave.

"I, uh, no. Not really." I turned and took a step away from him. "Sorry, we have to run."

"You can't be leaving yet—come, let me buy you a drink." He placed a pale, slender hand on my forearm.

"She doesn't drink." Jacob cut in abruptly and reached for me, meeting Edward's glare with a stare. "Let's go. We'll miss the last bus." He gave my hand a quick tug. I stumbled forward and Edward's grip loosened.

"Why don't you stay? Alice and the rest are heading over to my place." He glanced at Jacob. "Your friends can come too. I'll drop you guys back later."

"Oh, Bella, you should totally come hang out with us!" Alice called over from where she and Leah were chatting. They seemed to have hit it off well. "Em and the rest of the gang will be there. Jake, you too." She winked at him and slipped her arm into Leah's.

"I ... I, uh." I glanced quickly at Jacob and Leah. "Sorry, not tonight. Maybe next time?" I gave Edward an apologetic look.

"Sure, just come over with Alice, whenever." He made to return to the stage, but then stopped to grasp my hand for a brief moment. "Oh, and send me some of your work, I'd love to read it." His fingers slipped from mine as he turned away and disappeared into the crowd.

"Bella, were you flirting with Alice's brother? He's so slimy," Leah hissed as we stepped out into the streets.

"Was not!" I defended myself. Charmed momentarily, perhaps. What interest could someone like him have in someone like me? The cold night air hit my lungs and I shivered. I folded my arms and began following Jacob, who was stalking off towards the bus stop. I suddenly felt a little light-headed. Was it the change in temperature? Or was it love?

Little did I know, that was when everything started to go wrong.

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><p><em>Author's Note: "The Fighting Artichoke" is a real college mascot - from Scottsdale Community College. All credit to my fabulous beta <strong>leelator<strong> for suggesting the name, and for helping me come up with **Alice and the Altar Boys**_**. **_Thanks for making my writing so much better!_


	5. Chapter 5

__Usual disclaimer: Nothing Twilight belongs to me. Just having fun.  
><em>_

__Author's Note: Sorry! Does anyone still remember this story? More from me at the end of this chapter.  
><em>_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

_How did I end up here? Who __is__ this girl?_

I tugged at the hem of my white boy shorts, trying but failing to cover my pale thighs. The deep V-neck of my purple Husky jersey was unflattering to my chest, and I regretted not wearing a bra with better support. Worst of all were the heeled tennis shoes—supposedly the latest campus fashion trend—but a nightmare to me. I was struggling to balance three inches above the ground; how on earth was I going to stay upright while carrying a tray full of food? _Why, oh why had I accepted this job at Artie's?_

The blame for my current predicament lay squarely on my best friend, Jacob.

"Bells, I've got a brilliant idea." He called me on Sunday, his voice brimming with excitement.

"Aren't you like, at work?" We'd both applied for jobs at the student gym our second week at UW. While I didn't even get a call back, the manager took one look at Jacob and offered him a position as a weight room trainer, far more lucrative than the maintenance job he initially wanted. Life just wasn't fair.

"Yeah, but I bumped into Emmett, and guess what? He's looking for new wait staff—smart, sexy and sporting. Bella, that's you!"

_Huh? _I almost dropped my phone in shock.

"Hello?"

"Very funny, Jake." It took me a while to recover my voice. "You and I know that my athletic quotient is like, minus fifty. The gym rejected me, remember?"

Artie's was popular with the student athlete crowd for good reason: it wasn't simply the ambience, the carb-heavy servings, or the attractive wait staff everyone knew as 'the Artie girls'. Emmet had a good eye, and an Artie girl was blond bombshell plus sport enthusiast combined. All the girls he chose could hold their own with any athlete whether discussing fitness regimes, turnovers, or RBIs. _Did that sound like me?_

"That's 'cos the manager's an idiot—"

"Jake!" I hushed him. "You're at work!"

"It's all right, there's—"

"Jake?" A high-pitched voice called. "Can you help me adjust this please."

"Sorry, just give me a sec ... ." The same voice cooed again.

"Jake, it's fine. Go back to work."

"All right." He sighed. "Call you later then." The weight room was crowded with lady cougars and gym queens, both of whom liked to hit on Jacob. He laughed it off, but some of the girls could be downright scary. We were barely a month into college, and already there were girls stalking him at work. The attention was a little unreal for a freshman recruit who hadn't even played a game yet.

To be honest, I _was _starting to feel a little abandoned. Jacob was tied up with either practice or his job every night, while Leah was dawdling between her old love, track, and her new love, crew. I tried my hand at theater, the campus daily, and even a capella. But none of them stuck. Compared to my two besties, I was completely unadjusted to college life. Making things worse was my rejection from the gym, though, come to think of it, perhaps it was better the lady cougars stayed out of my way.

I was grateful to Jacob for his thoughtfulness, but working at Artie's? That just wasn't me. Unfortunately, everyone else seemed to disagree. Leah thought it would be good for me to get out and socialise more, and besides, she often hung out there with her teammates. Alice, my roommate, was even more enthusiastic.

"Bella, you should totally do it!" She reached into her pocket. "I'm going to call Emmett."

"Wait!" I grabbed her wrist and her phone hit the floor with a soft thud. "Seriously, can you imagine me working there? I'd get eaten alive! I can't even name a single Husky player besides Jake."

"Ugh, Bella, that's my latest Iphone!" She knelt and picked up her phone examining it for any damage.

I crossed my arms and gave her a wide smile. "Edward can always get you a new one." Alice was spoilt shamelessly by her older brother, in lieu of their absentee parents.

Alice gave me an irritated look. "See, that's why you need to get out and work, then you'll have something to do instead of pining every night, waiting for football practice to end."

"Alice!" My mouth hung open, unable to come up with a good retort. She loved to tease me about Jacob, despite my insistent denials.

I'd always been the kind of girl to go with the flow, so despite my strong inner resistance, I went to meet with Emmett at Artie's the next day.

"When can you start?" he asked, completely throwing me off guard.

"Uh, actually, I can only really do Friday nights and weekends."

"That's fine." He reached in his desk drawer and took out a sheaf of papers. "Your hours are six to eleven, Fridays to Sundays. Ten bucks an hour. You keep the tips, but ten percent goes to the bar and busboys."

_Holy Macaroni. _ That was even more than the gym would have paid me.

There was a sharp screech as Emmett stood, his chair dragging along the hardwood floor. He looked me up and down as he stepped towards a closet beside his desk.

"You should be what, a size two?" I nodded. He pulled out a set of clothes wrapped in plastic. "Here's your uniform. Can you start this Friday?" With that, I got the job.

"Bella, you ready yet?" There was a loud knock on the door. "Emmett's waiting!" Alice's voice jolted me out of my stupor.

Before I could reply, her head appeared in the door. "Nice legs!" She let out a wolf whistle as she stepped inside the staff locker room, shutting the door behind her.

"This so isn't me." I scrunched my nose at my reflection.

"Bella, you're hot. Get used to it." She darted to my side and placed her make-up case on the dresser.

"Don't move." She stood on tip-toes and peered at my face. "You need some color on your cheeks." With a few quick strokes, she added definition to my eyes, highlighted my cheekbones, and plumped my lips. "There." She set down her brush and turned me to face the mirror, admiring her handiwork. "You'll have the entire football team eating from your hand.

"Now get out there." She started pushing me towards the door before I had a chance to assess her makeover. "Emmett's waiting. Come find me after our set."

Fridays at Artie's was Music Jam night, when indie musicians from all over the Sound gathered and scouts lingered in the crowd. Alice and the Altar Boys were headlining the event. It was barely six-thirty, and the place was filling up except for my section, which for some reason remained relatively quiet. Maybe the hostess was being kind to the newbie.

A loud beep made me jump. I clamped my hand on the back pocket of my shorts, hoping no one heard the sound.

_Hanging in there? We're on the way._ It was Jacob. I texted back a scowl.

The empty tables suddenly made sense. Emmett had put me in charge of the football team's section!

"Hey, sexy." Out of the blue, someone wrapped an arm around my hip and spun me around. I looked up to an unfamiliar face smiling malevolently. Behind him, Jacob and his teammates entered the restaurant.

"Paul fucking Meraz, keep your hands to yourself," Jacob called out as he approached.

Paul laughed and stepped aside. "No harm, no foul, Black."

"Hey, Bells." Jacob leapt over the steps leading to my section. He threw his arms around me, pressing a light kiss to the side of my head. Freshly showered, he smelled amazing.

"Yeah! Black." One of his teammates let out a catcall, throwing me back to reality. I squirmed out of his embrace and adjusted my jersey. There was the faintest trace of a smirk on Jacob's lips as he settled down on a bench in front of me.

"Good evening everyone," I addressed a table full of curious eyes. "What can I get you to drink?"

Thankfully, the rest of the evening went by without a hitch as I filled orders, cleared trays, and made idle chatter. Jacob's teammates gave me a wide berth, laughing it off when I missed an order and spilled one of their drinks.

"Bells!" Jacob called me from his booth. It was almost the end of my shift, and half his team had left, or rather, they were hanging out with Rosalie and the cheerleaders at the bar. "What time do you get off?"

"Eleven." I kept my voice low.

"Good. So you can join us now." He reached for my hand. "Leah's on her way too."

"Jake! I'm still on the clock." I rolled my eyes as his lower lip curled up in a pout.

The moment the clock struck eleven, I signed the time out sheet and headed towards the dressing room. My feet hurt, and the back edges of my tennis heels were cutting into my ankles.

The staff locker room was located behind the stage near the restrooms and performers' changing room. I inched down the narrow corridor, which was cluttered with guitar cases, amp boxes, and all manner of music instruments. Standing in front of the locker room, I halted in my tracks. There was an electric piano barricading the doorway.

"What the... ." I cursed under my breath and took a step back, trying to figure out how to move the damned thing. Uh-uh, I shook my head. It was too heavy for me to push by myself. Guess I just had to wait for a good Samaritan to help.

Out of sheer curiosity, I lifted the cover and turned on the power switch. It looked like one sleek music machine with the funky knobs and dials. I ran my fingers along the glistening keys. Raising my hands dramatically, I imagined myself as a concert pianist and slammed my fingers on the keys, Rachmaninoff playing in my head.

_Silence._

"It's not plugged in." A mellow voice spoke from the shadows, giving me a fright.

"Do you play?" Edward Cullen stepped out of the men's restroom. He casually stepped around to my side and glanced down at the keyboard.

"Um." I quickly withdrew my hands from the keys. "I, uh…the changing room!"

"Oh!" Edward seemed genuinely startled. "I'm so sorry. Didn't mean to get in your way." He crouched and reached underneath the keyboard.

"No, I mean ... ."

"Don't worry about it." There was a loud snap as he quickly dismantled the electric piano. "My fault for leaving it here."

"Oh—" My mouth fell open as he hoisted the instrument onto his shoulders. "I didn't know you could do that."

"Yeah, these portables are great." He continued talking to me with the thing resting on his shoulder, as if it weighed less than a sack of potatoes. "So, you play?"

"Well, uh ... ." _Why was I stammering?_ "I … I took some lessons years ago, but that's about it." My eyes were on my feet, but I could sense his gaze on me.

"You looked pretty professional just now." _Was he making fun of me?_ His expression seemed sincere, but there was still a worm of self-doubt suspecting his intentions.

"Well, I'd better get out of your way." With his free hand, he lifted the stand, its foot scratching my leg as he made his way past me. "Let me know if you'd like some lessons." He flashed a smile at me before turning towards the back door.

Flustered, I darted into the locker room and started undressing. _Was he … flirting with me? _Of the four band members, Edward was the most elusive. He would sit alone, eyes shut, tapping on the table as he listened to whoever was on stage. Occasionally he would have a visitor, always finely dressed like himself, and they would sit in a corner deep in conversation, oblivious to everything else.

Was it because he missed whatever world it was that he came from? Did he miss being a lawyer? Why had he left? He had an aura of mystery, and despite Jacob and Leah's negative impression, I didn't think he meant any harm. He was, after all, my roommate's brother, and, from all accounts, he treated her well.

It was cold out in the back of the restaurant, so I quickly pulled on my spotted print leggings and new vintage dress tee. Back home, I never paid much attention to clothes. But at UW there was so much choice, and a whole diverse spectrum of dressing styles. I started frequenting the vintage and second-hand clothing stores on University Way. Although my checking account suffered, it gave me great satisfaction that I was finally developing my own sense of style.

Slipping into my ballet flats, I splashed some water on my face at the nearby sink, rubbed off some of Alice's smudged mascara, and headed back outside.

Jacob was nowhere to be found, and there were only a few players I didn't know lingering in my section.

"Bella! Over here!" I turned to the front of the restaurant and spotted Jacob and Leah at a booth near the stage with Paul and another two girls I didn't recognize.

"Bella, I was about to send out a search and rescue team," Jacob called out as I approached.

"Yeah, no kidding, man." Paul laughed as he stood up to let me in. "Jake figured you fell into the toilet bowl."

"Thanks, Jake." I rolled my eyes. "I met a friend."

"Oh, yeah?" He raised an eyebrow, not moving from his seat.

"Scoot over." I poked his shoulder, but instead of moving aside, he pushed my hands against my side, gently sliding me across his lap.

"Bella, ugh, did you put on weight?" My butt brushed against his thighs, sending the most awkward feeling through my veins. Flushed, I trained my eyes on a spot on the table.

"So, who'd you meet?"

I almost blurted out Edward's name, but remembered Leah and Jacob's reaction the last time they met him.

"Just a classmate. No one you know." I kept my voice nonchalant. Jacob was leaning a little too close to me, and his breath reeked of alcohol. His left hand was wrapped around an empty tall glass. "Jake, what are you drinking?" I was curious.

"Nothing much. Just some Coke." He noticed my eyes on his hand and let go of the glass.

"Yeah, right." Leah snorted.

"Holly was getting friendly with him." One of the girls sitting next to Leah volunteered.

"Holly?" I raised an eyebrow. Jacob still refused to look at me.

"Holly Hadley. Hadley, as in Coach Hadley," Leah said in a deliberately loud voice.

"Someone called?" A sweet voice floated over to our table. I looked up and saw my co-worker, a sophomore named Holly. She was the model Artie's girl—tall, blond, and a former state volleyball player. I hadn't realized she was also the daughter of Jacob's coach. Talk about pedigree.

"Hey, Bella." She smiled sweetly. "Jake"—she leaned over the table, reached for his glass, and gave him what I was sure was a pretty good view—"you like how I mix'em?" Sheesh, I really needed to invest in a proper bra.

"Fuckin' awful," Jacob said a little too loudly while banging his fist. "Just kidding, Holly. It was awesome. Gimme another one!" He looked up at her and grinned.

"Count me in too." Paul downed his glass and handed it over to Holly.

"I'll be right back." She turned away, but not before sending Jacob an air kiss. He had a look of complete bliss on his face. _Guys._ I shook my head. Leah let out another snort.

"Aw, give us a break, girls. It's Friday."

"Yeah buddy!" Jacob reached over me to bump fists with Paul.

"Can't blame Jake," Paul said. "None of you girls giving us any love tonight, right Bella?"

"Yeah, Bells, when you gonna show me some lurrveee?" Jacob leaned back in his seat and slung his arm around my shoulders.

Whatever Holly mixed in their drinks, it must have been pretty strong. Jacob usually held his alcohol, but he looked buzzed. Or was he just putting on an act, joining Paul in mutual boorishness? What was Paul doing to my best friend?

"Geez, Jake." I tried to shake his arm off but he was too heavy. "You're drunk."

"Naw. I'm sober as a cat." He sat up straight but shifted even closer.

"Right, and what kind of cat would that be?" Leah chuckled, sending the girl beside her into peals of laughter.

"Did he just have one drink?" I asked Leah. Jacob nodded away, trying his best to keep a straight face. "Jake, that's not going to work."

"Babe." He tilted his head towards my shoulder and buried his face in the crook of my neck. Leah arched an eyebrow and narrowed her eyes. Jacob never called me that, and somehow, I found that a little demeaning.

"What works on you then?" His voice was so low I don't think anyone else could hear him. "Tell me, and I'll do it." Something in his expression knocked me off-kilter. Was he serious, drunk, or sober but teasing me? God, what was wrong with him?

"Here you go." Holly appeared again. "Coke for the two gentlemen." She placed the same two tall glasses in front of Paul and Jacob. It did look like Coke. "And the ladies here have a special treat"—she set four Martini glasses in the center of the table—"compliments of the tall, dashing young man over there." She cocked an eyebrow in the direction of the stage.

"Hang on," Leah called after her retreating figure. "Who?"

"He says one of you will know." She smiled and walked away.

"What the fuck?" Paul grunted. Every single pair of eyes in our booth was scrutinizing the tables near the stage, where the musicians sat. I pretended to look too, hoping no one would notice my guilty face.

"Hang on, Bells." Jacob grabbed my hand which had reached for one of the Martini glasses. "Don't drink that."

"And why shouldn't I?" I tried to loosen my fingers from his grip, but he held on even tighter.

"You don't know what's in it."

"Double standards, Jake." Leah spoke up on my behalf. "Do you know what Holly served you?"

"Fuck, Leah. You know she can't take alcohol."

A ball of anger rose in my throat. "Of course I can." With my other hand, I grabbed the stem of the glass. Before Jacob could do anything, I raised it to my mouth and started gulping down the drink.

"Whoa, whoa, easy there, girl." Paul tried to take the glass away but I dodged. "Martinis are meant to be sipped, not chugged down like beer."

I finished every drop and set the glass back down, feeling somewhat satisfied by Jacob's annoyed glare. Everyone stared at me agape.

"Bella, are you all right?" Leah half-stood and reached toward me.

"I'm absolutely"—and then I let out a loud burp—"fine." My heart suddenly started thumping in my chest. I felt flushed, and there was a burning sensation in my stomach.

"See what I told you." While Jacob and Leah bickered, I leaned back against the seat and shut my eyes, hoping it would slow the blood rushing to my head.

"Cut it out, guys. I'm fine." Almost as soon as I sat up a wave of nausea overwhelmed me.

"Maybe we should head back," Leah said. "It's getting late."

"Babe"—Jacob called me _that_ again—"you okay to get up?"

"Yeah." I tried to stand, but instead tasted bile rising up my throat. "I ... I need to throw up."

Five minutes later, I was kneeling over a toilet bowl, half the contents of my dinner inside. Leah stroked my back, holding back my hair with her other hand.

"She all right?" Jacob sounded like he was about to storm the ladies' restroom.

"Yeah." Leah's voice boomed around the tiled bathroom. "Down the toilet bowl, like you said."

"Good. Get it all out, Bella."The sudden realization that the staff locker room was right next door made my head swirl, and I hurled again.

"Don't ever do something as dumb as this again, Bella." Leah huffed. "What were you thinking?"

"Bella, you okay?" Jacob's voice was far too loud for comfort. The whole restaurant could probably hear him.

"Yeah, she just threw up again." The door creaked as it swung open, and a set of light footsteps crept towards us.

"What's up, Holly?" Leah moved away from me, her shadow elongating as she stood.

"Oh, Bella, what happened? Are you okay?" Holly cooed. _Oh my god. _I felt like sinking my head into the toilet bowl.

"We're fine, thanks." Leah's tone was curt. Holly lingered for a few moments, but finally stepped away and into the cubicle next door. The thought of her peeing a few feet away was enough to push me to my feet.

"Yikes." Leah held up a fistful of my hair. "I don't know how you're going to get this off." She helped me to the sink outside.

"Wash your face," she instructed. "I'll try to scrub this gunk out." She returned with some wet paper towels, cleaning my hair while I splashed water on my face and rinsed my mouth. "Feel better now?" I nodded.

The toilet flushed, and Holly joined us at the sink. I was in absolutely no mood or condition to make casual talk with her.

"Let's go." Leah's arm reached out for me as I swayed precariously.

"Jake, give us a hand over here." Leah called for back up. Within seconds, I was in Jacob's arms.

"Bella, you need some first aid?" Holly continued to fuss as Jacob carried me out of the bathroom. "Thanks, Holly. We've got it," Jacob replied over his shoulder.

"Yeah, don't you have to get back to work?" Leah came to the rescue, as always. I heard the faintest huff from Holly, her heels thumping on the vinyl flooring as she returned outside.

"Let me down, Jake. I can walk." I flailed my arms and legs, hoping to show that I was fine. The burning sensation in my stomach had eased and my head felt lighter. One Holly was enough. There was no way I wanted anyone in the restaurant to see Jacob carrying me out of the restroom on my first day at work.

Jacob peered at me, a quizzical look in his eyes, as if assessing my soberness. He didn't look convinced.

"I'm fine, Jake." I kept my voice steady. "Let me down."

"All right." He kept his arm around me as he set my feet on the floor.

"See, I'm fine."

"Bella, whoa, what happened?" A small figure appeared at the entrance to hallway. In my haze, I couldn't make out the face, but the voice belonged to Alice. I raised my head in the direction of the sound and smiled weakly.

"She's fine. But I'm going to pummel the fucking asshole who ordered those drinks." Jacob cursed under his breath.

"Bella, are you all right?" Someone who was not Alice stepped towards me as we reached the doorway. Long, cool fingers wrapped around my elbow, and Jacob's grip around my hip tightened.

"Oh dear, Bella, what happened?" I finally recognized Edward's voice. He released me and reached towards my face, tucking my hair behind my ear.

"Don't touch her." Jacob's voice turned into a snarl.

"Jake, it's all right." His fingers were digging into my skin.

"Sorry, I didn't know—" Edward started to speak again.

"Oh!" Leah suddenly lunged. "So it was you."

Jacob suddenly released me, and I fell forward. Before I could recover my footing, I heard a loud cracking noise and a thud.

"Jake!" I yelled, but it was too late. Edward swayed from the force of Jacob's blow and crumpled to the floor, clutching his jaw. Jacob advanced towards the wall. Not pausing to think, I threw myself against him. "Stop, Jake!" I held his hands down as Alice rushed towards her brother. "Alice, I'm so sorry." Edward's chin was discolored, and there was blood on his lips.

"What the fuck, Bella?" Jacob's chest heaved. "This fucker just tried to—"

"All right, guys, what's going on here?" Emmett's voice boomed across the hall. He froze as he caught sight of Edward's prostate form. "What the fuck, Ed?"

"Kid here has a temper problem." Edward leaned against the wall and pushed himself back onto his feet. "Maybe you should have a word with his coach.

_Oh no ... ._ Disciplinary infractions were a strict no-no when it came to college athletics. I didn't want Jacob's football career to end before it even started.

"Oh, yeah?" Jacob pushed my hands away easily and stalked towards Edward. "Wanna call the cops?"

"That's enough, Jake." Emmett stepped in between the two of them and laid a hand on Jacob's shoulder. "Take this outside of here if you want, but no fighting in my restaurant. Jake, Coach Hadley's not going to look kindly on your behavior tonight. I suggest you apologize, and Edward won't say anything."

"Yes, Emmett, we're so sorry." Jacob glared at me. "Edward, are you all right?"

"Yeah, I've had worse." He gave me a crooked smile. Jacob snorted rudely, and stalked off towards the back door. Leah followed behind him.

"I'm sorry. Jacob has a hot temper, but really, he's a good guy." I was doing my best to salvage the situation. "Please don't report him."

"Edward was just kidding, right?" Alice prodded her brother. "Let's go to the changing room and take a look at this."

The back door opened and Leah's head appeared. "Bella!"

"I ... I gotta run. Alice, you okay?" She nodded and gave me a wink as she coaxed Edward toward the room across the hall.

_"Bella!"_ Leah was getting impatient. Casting another apologetic look at Edward, I ran back out to join my two friends.

We missed the last campus shuttle, so Paul accompanied Leah and her friends to their dorms on West Campus, leaving Jacob to walk me home.

The night was still, the air cool and crisp as our feet crunched autumn leaves on quiet sidewalks. Jacob remained sullen and silent as we crossed University Way and entered the school grounds.

"What were you thinking?" I stopped and turned towards Jacob as my dorm building came into sight.

"Bells, are you fucking kidding me?" He stuffed his hands in the pockets of his jeans and brushed past me. "That asshole tried to dope you."

"Come on, Jake, it was just a drink!" Jacob's accusation just didn't make sense to me. Whatever Edward's intentions, there was no reason for him to want me unconscious, not when I was with so many friends. "Like you aren't guilty of the same thing."

"Yeah, well the difference is I know my limits," he replied coolly.

"Well, then why'd you sock him?" I tugged at his bomber jacket and he finally stopped, turning to face me. "If anything, it was my fault."

"Bells, do you seriously believe that?" He grabbed my arm a little too forcefully. "You're so naive."

We were standing opposite my dorm and he made to cross the street. My feet remained rooted to the asphalt, unable to move. I was astounded by his statement and at a loss for words. Jacob's shadow grew shorter as he moved towards me.

"Bells." His voice turned gentle, and he caressed my shoulder. "I ... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have—"

"No ... it's okay." My voice came out all jerky. I focused on the flashing traffic light across from me and took a deep breath. "I mean, I'm eighteen Jake. I can take care of myself."

"But ..." he hesitated, "but I want to, Bells." His voice cracked, and something in me stirred. He held my gaze; his eyes glistening with a strange light.

"Bella, you do understand, don't you?" He reached out for my hand, pulling me closer. "Fuck, that's not how I meant to say it."

He took a step towards me, so close now his coat buttons brushed against my chest. I couldn't help but lean into his warmth. Before I could react, his hand cupped the back of my neck, tilting my face towards him. The faintest trace of alcohol lingered in the air. Was that me or Holly? And then his lips closed around mine, far softer than I ever imagined. Every single cell in my body shut down as he kissed me slowly, languidly. "Stop thinking." He pulled me gently into a tight embrace.

I closed my eyes, relaxing into his touch as he continued teasing my lips. So this was what it felt like to kiss someone ... _what?_ _I was kissing Jake? My best friend? _I pulled away and clamped my mouth in horror.

"I ... " My voice left me. "I ... we ... ."

"Bells." Jacob ran his thumb down the side of my jaw, slowly threading his fingers into mine and praying my hand from my face.

"Jake." I pulled away. "You're drunk."

"Bella, I'm not." He locked his arms around me in a loose embrace, preventing me from moving any further. "I, fuck, I shouldn't have done it this way. Sorry. I mean, sorry, I'm not sorry for kissing you, fuck no." His face contorted, the flashing red light from across the street casting strange shadows.

"What's wrong, Jake?" I was totally confused and suddenly felt like giving him a hug. Maybe my best friend would reappear then.

And then he said the words which threw me off course and tilted my center of gravity. "Bells, you know what I'm saying, don't you?" His eyes burned into mine, as if willing me to understand. His voice was husky as he finally spoke again. "Bella, don't you know how I feel about you?"

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><p><em>Author's Note: It's been so long, it took me half an hour to figure out how to post again! Sorry, real life happened and I kinda forgot about this story till <strong>Micah's Moonbeam <strong>sent me an e-mail a few months ago. You have her and **Leelator** to thank for this update: they prodded, cajoled, and held my hand while I rediscovered how to write again. _

_Everyone knows **Leelator's** amazing writing skills from **How to Seduce a Werewolf **but did you know she's also a fantastic Beta? She whipped my ass into shape and tells me off when I need it :) Many thanks also to **Micah's Moonbeam** for pre-reading and helping me to believe in myself as a writer again._

_If you actually do remember this story, please send me a shout-out! I'm hoping a few of you are still with me...anyone? :)  
><em>

_Lastly, **Leelator** tells me Theair_thesun has a new drabble contest. I can't figure out how to post the link but go look for it and check it out!_


	6. Chapter 6

__Usual disclaimer: Nothing Twilight belongs to me. Just messing around.  
><em>_

__Author's Note: All the football fun in this story, and more, would not have been possible without my amazing friend and beta, **Leelator**. If you haven't already heard, her epic fic** How to Seduce a Werewolf** was just crowned First Place in the JBNP All Time Favourite Wolf Story category. I wasn't aware of this contest earlier, otherwise I would definitely be bugging all of you to vote her as #1 Beta, because she truly is!  
><em>_

__Shameless plug: I'm not one for self-promotion but I wrote a oneshot called Wrong which needs a lot more love! Be nice and read it please? It's something ____a little different from **Three's a Crowd**. ____www()fanfiction()net/s/8335907/1/Wrong (replace () with a dot)__

__Thank you for your support!__

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><p><strong>Chapter 6<strong>

If I could turn back time and take back everything I said to Jacob that night, would I? Would it change anything?

"_Bells, don't you know how I feel about you?"_

His earnest question replayed on end in my mind as I struggled to grasp its meaning. The overhead traffic light across the street blinked incessantly casting eerie red hued shadows around us. Next to me stood my best friend, his eyes locked on mine. The air was full of unspoken words and unanswered questions. But what was he trying to get at? Could it be … but no, if he really meant it, why was it so difficult to say it out loud?

"I … I don't know what you mean." My voice was shaky, and I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. "I don't understand why you're saying all this, or why … why you kissed me."

Jacob let out a frustrated sigh and his arms fell slack around me. He whirled around, pacing in circles and muttering to himself. "Fuck … shouldn't have … " were the only words I caught, and they chilled me to the bone. Maybe it wasn't what I thought. I was just another girl he'd kissed in the heat of the moment. My insides clenched, and I hugged my stomach reflexively, unsure if the pain was from throwing up earlier or processing everything that just took place.

"I understand. Nothing happened. It's okay." Tucking my shoulder bag under my arm, I stepped off the pavement.

"No, wait." Quick steps followed behind me. My feet froze as Jacob's hand wrapped around my elbow, holding me in place. "Fuck, sorry. I'm not trying to be an ass."

I struggled to put together a coherent sentence, but all that came out of my mouth was something between a gasp and a choke. "I … I thought you were my best friend." The words finally fell out. My heart sank as his hand dropped to his side. To save myself from further heartbreak, my feet took flight and I dashed across the junction, not turning back to see if he would follow.

Leah stormed into my room at the crack of dawn, in her own words, "scared shitless" I drowned in my own vomit. I'd barely slept, my stomach still felt sick, and I was petrified about facing Emmett and my other co-workers again. But with her warm arm draped around my waist and her soothing words of assurance, sleep finally claimed me.

"Bella." Someone was poking my ribs. "Time to get up."

With great difficulty, I forced one eye open. Light was flooding the room through a crack in the drapes, and on top of me sat Leah trying to shake me awake.

Groaning, I attempted to turn onto my side, but was no match for her strength. "Go away." My hand reached out for a pillow to shield my eyes, but she promptly snatched it away, tossing it onto Alice's bed.

"Rise and shine. It's ten thirty, Bella." Her voice was annoyingly chirpy.

Memories from the previous night started filtering into my consciousness. Did all that really happen? "Can I just hide here today? I don't wanna get up."

"Honey, get over it. It's a brand new day." She loosened her grip on me and climbed off the bed. "Here." She deposited something that crinkled next to me and sat at the foot of my bed. "Breakfast from the dining hall."

"You're my hero." I nudged her with my big toe in thanks.

"You still smell of puke, you know." Leah pinched her nose and made a face.

I spotted a twinkle in her eye. "Liar."

"I know you love me."

"You really know how to blackmail me." Yawning, I rolled out of bed, grabbed my toiletries basket and trudged to the shower stalls, avoiding my reflection in the mirror the whole time. When I returned, Leah was looking pretty comfortable at my desk, munching on a yogurt bar while she flipped through a tattered copy of Rolling Stone.

"Justin Bieber. Hot, ready, legal," she read out from the cover. "Jesus, Bella. When did you start reading such crap?"

"Are you kidding me? This is like the holy bible of the music world." I rifled through the breakfast bag and picked out an apple. "Would you rather I read Sports Illustrated?" There was an old issue I kept somewhere on my desk, which featured college football recruiting and mentioned Jacob's rejection of USC, the top football school on the West Coast, for Washington, a middle-of-the-pack team.

"Please. The only copy you ever bought was when Jake was in it." I tried to conceal the embarrassment on my face. She knew me too well.

"Thanks for the rabbit food." I gave her a one-armed hug. "What would I do without you?"

"You're welcome." She tossed the object of her scorn onto my bed and set her feet on the floor. "I gotta give it to you though, Bella."

"Huh?" I asked in between mouthfuls.

"You really take the cake. What a way to announce your first day at work."

I really didn't want to continue that thread, so I put on my best 'don't-know-what-you're-talking-about' expression. But she just ignored me.

"Yeehaw!" Leah launched herself into the air, making an adroit landing in the middle of the room as she threw an upper cut.

"You practicing for MMA or something?"

"Nope." She tucked her hands back by her side and settled next to me on my bed. "Just simulating what happened last night."

I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, come on, Bella. You had two guys practically trying to rip off each other's balls because of you. Don't tell me that doesn't move you in the least."

It took me a few moments to read the meaning behind her words. "Nah. You know Jake. He just likes to play big brother. Even though I'm older." _And even though he kissed you last night._

"He likes you." I choked on a piece of apple. "The question is, do you?" _Did she know? How did she find out? _I really wasn't ready to have that conversation with anyone, not even Leah.

"He's too old for you, don't you think?" Leah cast me a thoughtful look. It was somewhat of a relief to realize she was referring to Edward.

"I ... I barely know him."

"Would you go out with him, though, if he asked?"

"Jesus, Lee, why are you suddenly so interested in my love life?"

"What love life? Bella, you've never had one." Although that was the truth, the way she put it didn't sound nice. "Don't give me that look. I'm just trying to help you out here."

"I ... stay out of my business, okay?" Jumping off the bed, I wandered to my closet at the other end of the room. "I'm going to do laundry."

"You can't run away forever, you know." I ignored her comment and continued hauling my laundry basket down the hallway.

By the time I was done sorting colors and whites, Leah was gone. Great. I'd rubbed both my best friends the wrong way in the space of less than twelve hours. I checked my phone. There was a missed call from an out-of-state number and a message from Alice saying she'd be out all weekend. Nothing from Jacob. I thought about calling, but then remembered it was game day. The last thing he needed was a distraction from me.

* * *

><p>As if it were possible, Artie's was even more crowded than usual, thanks to the game against USC, which for some reason unknown to me, was a really big deal. Everyone was shouting "Revenge! Revenge!" and the place was completely packed. The wait staff had their hands full—even Emmett looked frazzled. Tottering on my tennis heels and balancing tray after tray of food and drinks, I nearly missed Jacob's college football debut. Somehow, one of the rowdy frat boys at my table threw up all over the floor, despite the fact I hadn't served him any alcohol. To top it off, the bus boy for my section was missing in action, leaving me to clean up the mess. I was on my knees, trying to remove the puke when a loud roar rippled through the crowd. It sounded like <em>Black! Black! Black!<em>

What? He wasn't supposed to be playing! Tossing the soiled towel aside, I got to my feet. I stood on tip-toes, trying to catch a glimpse of the game from one of the flat screens at the front, but it was impossible. I couldn't see a thing.

By the time I made it to the balustrade which separated my section in the back from the front hall, all I caught was a close-up of Jacob rushing towards the end zone and the ball sailing towards him. It was over in a matter of seconds—he caught, fell, the whistle blew, and the whole stadium erupted.

_"And Husky freshman Jacob Black, the highly touted **quarterback **recruit who turned down the Trojans, pulls off a stunning debut by **catching **the tying touchdown. Un-be-live-able!" _

My head was spinning as I tried to make sense of what happened. When did Jacob get on the field? And what was he doing at the end zone? But as I watched the replay, it became clear that my best friend had just achieved something remarkable. In the final minutes of a tense encounter with the USC Trojans, he scored the touchdown that sent the game into overtime. It was Jacob's moment of glory, and instead of rooting for him in the stands, I was on the floor cleaning up some idiot's puke. With a heavy heart, I made my way back to the frat boy table and got to my hands and knees again. There wasn't much time left if I wanted to watch Jacob in overtime.

"Need some help?"

"Mike?" Dropping my towel for the second time, I clambered to my feet. "What are you doing here?"

The last time I saw Mike Newton was the night before he flew off to Los Angeles. USC was on the semester system, so he left a whole month before me. I was having mixed feelings about his departure; once we started talking, we actually had fun working together at Outfitters. He was always considerate, surprisingly humble given his parents' wealth, and beneath the shy and awkward exterior, he had a heart of gold. In a way, it was the absence of Leah and Jacob over summer that gave me room to make a new friend. While I knew he liked me, he never pushed that, although perhaps that could be due to Jacob.

"Don't let those California girls run all over you." I remembered teasing him as we said goodbye at the store. "And don't come back with an awful _Ellay_ accent." I slurred 'L.A.' the way I heard actresses say it on television.

He looked pretty much the same except for a slightly more fashionable crew cut. In his cardinal sweater, though, he stood out like a sore thumb in a sea of purple and gold. It was a good thing Jacob just scored, or he might have gotten lynched.

"I bumped into Leah at the stadium. She told me you worked here." Before I could even respond, he reached for the pail at my feet. "The water's all murky. Let me help you change it."

"Mike, no. Stop." I tried to push his hand away, but he held firm.

"Let me take that." My eyes widened in shock as another male voice joined the fray. Edward Cullen appeared from nowhere and stepped between us. I really didn't need their help, but it didn't look like a fight I was going to win.

Edward scanned Mike's appearance from top to toe. "I really don't think you should be walking around dressed like this. Right, Bella?" He cast a pointed look in my direction. Taking advantage of Mike's hesitation, he grabbed the pail's handle, disappearing towards the back.

"I tried to call you this morning." Hearing Mike's voice, I turned around. So _that_ explained the unknown number on my phone. Turned out he was roommates with one of the Trojan's freshman recruits, who secured him a seat on the team flight at the last minute.

"We're having a post-game party at my parents' place later." Mike's dad did business in the city, and they apparently owned a massive house on the lake. "Wanna come?"

For a brief moment, I pictured myself in a lush hillside estate run over by red-shirted jocks and bleached blond cheerleaders from Southern California and wondered how Jacob would take to that. It was an interesting thought.

But before I had a chance to respond, Edward popped up again, depositing the pail right next to Mike. Water sloshed onto the floor, forcing Mike to take a hasty step backwards where he almost landed in some vomit.

Completely ignoring his reaction, Edward handed me a mop. "Use that. I'll dry." Pushing the tails of his blazer aside, he got to his knees, cleaning the towel in the pail.

"Edward, stop. You shouldn't be …" I was about to throw my hands up in the air. How appalling. It was my job, but they were both treating me like a damsel in distress. And worst of all, we were attracting curious stares from a few of the more sober kids at the frat boy table. I really didn't want to get fired after only two days at work.

"Quit worrying. Let's get this done so you can watch the game." He was right. Between the two of us and Mike trying not to get in the way, we were done in minutes. I lifted the pail, but Edward was faster, intercepting me before I could head to the janitor's closet. "Let me take care of this. Watch your section."

"Who was that?" Mike stared at Edward's retreating figure, both hands on his waist. Feeling bad for how Edward treated him, I apologised. "That's Edward, my roommate's brother."

"Weird. What's with those shoes? And that suit jacket. Where'd he come from? Outer Space?" He made a funny face. I guess Edward looked about as out of place as Mike did at Artie's, with his well-made clothes and immaculate appearance.

"He's a part-time musician. Performs here sometimes with his band." Someone at a nearby table shouted for the bill. "Be right back." I patted his arm and moved away. After collecting their payment, which at least included a good tip, I headed to the cash register at the bar. Behind me, I could hear the ESPN commentator's voice back on air. The restaurant began to teem with an anticipatory buzz, chairs scraping as customers got to their feet, jostling for the best view.

"Care to join me?" Edward draped an arm around the bar stool next to me. "I'll have a gin and tonic," he addressed the bartender, easing onto his usual seat at the bar. "What are you waiting for? Overtime's starting."

"I need to get back." Guilt plagued me as I struggled between taking some downtime and returning to my section. "I'm still on the clock." Not to forget, I just left Mike with a pack of angry wolves, ready to pounce if anything went wrong.

"It'll be over in no time." He nudged at the screen. "Hopefully," he added as an afterthought. "Sit." He pointed at the empty barstool next to him. My conscience prickled, but the invitation to catch a break was tempting.

Onscreen, the Huskies' offensive line began to take position on the field, and the camera zoomed in to a close-up shot of Jacob, before cutting away to a replay of his touchdown that drew us even with the Trojans. "I'm such a horrible friend." I leaned against the bar counter feeling absolutely morose. "I can't believe I missed almost all of Jake's first game."

Edward gave me a curious look. "You didn't miss much," he said after a pause. "He came on in the last ten minutes when one of the USC guys took out our tight-end."

"Tight end?" I thought Jacob was a quarterback.

"Well, desperate times call for desperate measures."

"Oh … I was wondering what he was doing in the end zone."

"He's absolutely killing it, by the way." I leaned against the bar stool next to Edward as he explained Jacob's plays. A perturbed frown crossed his face. "What the fuck?"

Instead of advancing the ball, our quarterback dropped back with two members of the Trojan defense closing in on him. Within seconds, he was brought down, and with it went our chance to score. The restaurant erupted in boos and jeers.

The botched play disrupted the Huskies' rhythm, and they ended up punting the ball. Minutes later when the Trojans launched an all out attack, our defense crumbled, and their star running back broke free and headed towards the goal line.

"Yeah!" An exuberant cheer cut through the deathly silence in the hall, drawing everyone's attention away from the game. At the back of the restaurant, Mike Newton was on his feet, punching his fist in the air, a flashing red beacon in an enemy sea.

"I think I need to rescue him." I took a step in Mike's direction, even though he now seemed aware of his momentary indiscretion and was trying to sidle into the shadows.

"Let him wait." Edward reached for my arm as he turned towards me. "He should know better, coming here in full USC colors."

"No, actually, I think he didn't." Mike could be incredibly naïve. I shook my head and attempted to free my arm. Edward raised an eyebrow as he noticed my expression and loosened his hold. "Okay." He leaned in close, murmuring in a voice so soft I almost couldn't hear him, "Come and find me backstage later. I've got something for you."

Mike was ensconced in the corner of my section when I found him, grinning from ear to ear. "Man, your QB totally gifted us. What was he thinking? Jake was wide open but the quarterback decided to go for glory." At least he wasn't mad at me for abandoning him.

"I think you better take this off." I tugged at his sweater.

"Sorry. I guess I was a little loud just now, huh?" He gave me a sheepish look and removed the offending item. "So, do you think you can join us later? Should be a ball given the win."

"Uhm, that's kinda difficult. I don't get off till eleven. Why don't you sit at the bar? Leah should be here soon."

He turned in the direction I was pointing, surveying the restaurant and finally noticing the stares and nasty vibes from the Husky supporters around us. "I guess I shouldn't overstay my welcome," he said with reluctance. "Call me when you end your shift? Maybe I can see you before we fly out tomorrow."

I was a little doubtful about that, but his expression was so earnest I found myself nodding.

"Bye, Bella." To my surprise, he leaned forward, and in full view of anyone who was watching, placed a chaste kiss on my lips.

I pulled away, stunned. A flurry of thoughts overran my mind. First and foremost was the imaginary headline: Bella Swan, caught consorting with the enemy! With that, my reputation and any credibility I was hoping for as an Artie's Girl was flushed down the toilet bowl.

* * *

><p>Given how the game went, no one was sure if or when the team was going to show up. But eventually a few players straggled in around ten, their faces tight and colorless. Another group arrived minutes later, one of whom I recognized as Paul. His sullen countenance was in stark contrast to yesterday's ebullience. I was almost afraid to go near any of them, but I didn't have a choice in the matter. Sucking in my breath, I approached their table.<p>

"Hi." I put on my best smile, hoping it at least seemed sincere. "Can I take your orders?"

It was ludicrous. No one was paying any attention.

"Shall I come back later?"

"No, it's fine," Paul spoke up. "Get us a jug of Bud."

"Make that two." An all-too-familiar voice rumbled close to my ear.

"Jake!" I spun around and almost walked straight into his chest. Enveloped in his musky, freshly-showered scent, I fought the ridiculous temptation to throw my arms around him and sink into his embrace. _He's not talking to you,_ I reminded myself, and stepped back. Unfortunately, I was trapped between him and the table.

According to Artie's standard procedure, I was to check the over-21 stamp on customers' wrists before serving alcohol, which Jacob was fully aware of. He cocked an eyebrow and held my gaze, as if taunting me to follow the rules. Behind me I could feel the tables' eyes watching us and waiting for my response.

Jacob folded his arms, tapping his foot as I struggled for words. A fierce blush spread on my face and I turned my gaze to the floor.

"Here." For the second time in five minutes, Paul saved me, flashing a mischievous grin as he stuck out his wrist, appropriately stamped "Legal Eagle."

Giving him a grateful smile, I slipped past Jacob. "I'll get your orders."

A gaggle of fans and girlfriends were at the football table by the time I returned, including a suspiciously familiar looking blond sitting very close to Jacob. _Holly? _I wondered how she got out of her shift. Game day was the busiest time of the week at Artie's.

"Hey, Bella!" Her shrill voice welcomed me as I neared the table. I couldn't help but notice her hand on Jacob's lap.

"Your drinks." I dumped the two jugs of beer on their table, not even bothering to distribute the mugs or clear the tray. From the corner of my eye, Jacob shifted away when I approached—but maybe that was just my imagination. There was no excuse for him behaving like such a dick or allowing his coach's daughter to put her hands all over him. I sure wasn't staying to watch.

Scanning the restaurant, I searched for Leah. Unfortunately, there was no space in my section for Leah and her girl crew, and they were seated at a booth all the way up front. I was left to deal with two tables of surly, brooding jocks on my own. They were obviously planning to drink themselves to oblivion tonight, and I did my best to provide the minimum standard of service.

As soon as my shift ended, I made my way to the front. She welcomed me with a hug and pulled me onto her seat. Hopefully, that meant I was forgiven.

"What's up with Mr. Black Face?"

Leah took one look at my scowl and snickered. "Hah. Good one. You should go over and call him that."

"Tell me about it. It's like a fucking funeral over there."

"Ooh! Bella used the F-bomb!" Leah teased. "Yeah, I heard the coach gave them a huge dressing down. Lack of team play and all."

"That sucks." I changed the topic, not really keen to have anything more to do with the football team. "You ran into Mike at the stadium?"

"Yeah, did he find you?" She looked around, as if expecting to see him still at Artie's.

I nodded. "We watched the game for a while." I shared with her Mike's outburst when USC won the game but excluded the invitation to the House of Trojans and his traitorous peck.

"That's hilarious." Leah burst out in fits. "I figured he might get his ass kicked if he showed up here wearing his little red sweater."

"Leah!" I exclaimed. "Don't tell me you didn't even warn him? You're incorrigible!" Her reaction made me double down in laughter, but a small part of me felt sorry for Mike.

It was getting late, so I slipped out of her booth and headed to the locker room to change. The hallway was already bare of musical instruments. Was Edward still around? We had a light set tonight, and he only appeared once as the guest pianist for an auburn-haired lady with a mysterious, haunting voice. The light in the performers' room was still on, so I decided to knock just to make sure.

A slim, well-coiffured woman in a sequined dress opened the door, assessing me as she stepped aside. I realized she was the same singer who performed with Edward.

"Bella, hey." He was at the back of the room, standing behind his keyboard. "Come on in."

I took a few ginger steps inside, feeling the woman's eyes follow me. Edward moved towards the wardrobe, reaching into a satchel at the bottom. As he drew something out and stood up, I noticed the large bruise under his jaw, and the faintest trace of a cut on his lip.

"Sorry about last night." I pointed at his face. "Does it still hurt?"

He raised a finger to his chin as if it he'd forgotten. "Nah. I've had worse."

"That … that's good."

"This is for you." He placed something long and slim in my hands. It was a brightly colored book. _Popular Piano: Teach Yourself to Play._ My mouth slipped open in surprise.

"Alice told me you have a piano in your common room. You can try out the exercises there."

"You're welcome." He smiled as I stammered my thanks. His lip twitched, as though there was something else at the tip of his tongue he was holding back.

"Ahem." We both turned at the same time when Miss Mysterious coughed. She had an ugly scowl on her face.

"Oh, Flo, this is Bella Swan. Alice's roommate." He gestured towards me. "Bella, this is Florence, an old friend from Yale."

I didn't like the look on Florence's face. Her body language made me uncomfortable, as if I was intruding on something private. "I... I should go."

Florence let out a throaty laugh. "I see how it is now, Eddie. It's that hard for you to call me your girlfriend, huh?" She slinked to my side and placed a manicured hand on my shoulder. "And this is how young you roll these days? How old are you, Bella?" The snideness in her voice was so thick it made my skin crawl.

"Florence, leave her out of this." Edward took two strides towards us and tried to pry her fingers away. To my utter shock, she fell to the floor in a crumpled heap and started bawling.

"Fuck, I'm sorry … " Edward got to his knees, wrapping his arms around her. He cast an apologetic look my way as I pushed the door open with my back and darted out of the room. Breathing deeply, I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes. It felt like I just violated an intimate moment between two lovers not meant for my eyes.

"What the hell are you doing there?"

I knew the voice. It belonged to the last person on earth I felt like dealing with at that moment. Jacob stood across the hallway, hands thrust in his bomber jacket, an insouciant air about him as he crossed one leg behind the other. There was something else hiding underneath his cocksure appearance, but I was too tired to dig it out of him.

"I heard Mike Newton was here earlier—in full Trojan colors." There was a nasty inflexion to his voice. Whatever he felt about Mike, I didn't feel he had the right to speak about him like that.

"Yeah? So what?" I shook my head and turned towards the staff dressing room.

His hand shot out, gripping my right arm in a vice so tight I could feel the callous pads of his fingers pressing into my skin.

"Sorry." He must have noticed my grimace. Relaxing his hold, he asked, "Did I hurt you?" Concern flashed across his face.

"Go back to your boys, Jacob. And _Miss Hadley_." I made sure I injected Holly's last name with all the venom I could summon.

"Fuck, Bells, don't be like this." His tone softened. "Can we talk?" The desperation in his voice stopped me in my tracks. Somewhere in there, I heard my best friend. He took a few slow, cautious steps, until I felt his breath against my hair and the back of his hand tentatively flirting with my palm.

"I ... I'm sorry. I was just ... " He took a deep breath. "I was just jealous of Mike, okay?" His fingers threaded through mine, and my heart skipped a beat.

"We're just friends." I was ready to forgive him, but annoyance still crept into my voice.

"I … I know, Bells." He held my hand a little tighter. "I'm just a jealous fuck because I really care about you. It … it makes me mad whenever I see Mike or any guy trying to make any moves on you."

"Well"—I shifted my weight from one foot to the other—"I can take care of myself, Jake." I didn't need any reminder of Jacob's possessiveness.

"Yes, you can. I know you can." _That was a different tone from last night, _I thought to myself. "But I want to take care of you too." His voice turned into a throaty whisper, and all of a sudden my heart began pounding in my chest.

"Bells," he murmured into my ear, lips brushing against my hair. "I did it all wrong yesterday. I just wanted to say ... " He hesitated, but seemed to gain confidence when I tightened my hold on his hand. "Bells, I love you." The tenderness in his voice soaked and soothed my raw nerves. "Always have. You know that, don't you?" His free hand wrapped around my waist, pulling me towards him.

"Bella, will you … be mine?" Tears welled in my eyes as I turned to face him. I was too emotional to speak, but I guess the look in my eyes told him everything he needed to know. With gentle fingers, he cradled my face in his hand before leaning in to kiss me. At last, we did it right. It was short, chaste, and a little salty, but it was a giant step in our relationship.

The door swung violently behind us. From the corner of my eye I saw Florence storm out towards the back exit, Edward following after her. They didn't even notice us.

"That Edward?" At my nod, Jacob asked, "Then who was that girl?"

"Um," I thought for a second before answering, "his girlfriend."

* * *

><p><em>AN *deep breath* How was it? Did you enjoy the ride? Were you expecting this?_

_I thoroughly enjoyed writing every word, especially "momentary indiscretion."_

_Florence was drawn from my current musical inspiration, Florence & the Machine. In fact, I wrote most of this listening to **Lungs** and **Ceremonials**. Don't you love her? Though I'm sure Florence Welsh is nothing like Miss Mysterious in this story._

_If you even liked this one bit, please let me know! Leelator and I put **hours and days **into this—me writing and her editing. It would be nice if you sent us a word._

_Thank you for reading! And please read my oneshot **Wrong**! __www()fanfiction()net/s/8335907/1/Wrong __(replace () with a dot)_____


	7. Chapter 7

_Usual disclaimer: Nothing Twilight belongs to me._

_A/N: I don't want to make any excuses, but I'm sorry this chapter took so long, and I promise the next chapter will be up soon! Thank you for your __support!_

_For those who missed her, Leah's back! _

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

"_What an incredible run!"_

_"Jacob, that was an amazing game!"_

_"What were you thinking as you took on the Wildcats' defence?"_

My heart thumped wildly as a throng of reporters descended on Jacob, ambushing him with their microphones. He thanked them, sweat beading down his jaw. The pads on his shoulders rose and fell as he paused to catch his breath. Exhausted, he still managed a polite smile. "Honestly, the only thing on my mind was the thirty yards to the end zone."

How I wished I were there! If only I could teleport myself to Tucson and give him a well-deserved hug. I knew full well how much football meant to Jacob, and the last thing I wanted was for us to turn into one of those couples joined at the hip, but the twenty four hours till we saw each other again was getting unbearable. Something changed since his confession; I missed him in an almost physical way, and it was like nothing I ever felt before. What was going on? And because we agreed to keep our relationship just between the two of us for now, there was no one I could turn to.

My inner monologue ran riot as clips of Jacob's game-winning play flashed across the screen. Exuding sheer strength, he muscled past two stout defenders to break free for a touchdown. Shortly after, the team rushed onto the field to celebrate their victory.

_"Two__ pretty big plays in your __**first two **__outings for the Huskies. __**Simply incredible!**__"_

Handling the reporter's praises with aplomb, Jacob deflected credit to the team and his coach. He came across as modest, charming, and somewhat bashful. Before turning to the locker room, he grinned, flashing a thumbs-up at the camera. Around me, the crowd at Artie's broke out in cheers and loud applause.

All of a sudden, Jacob was a media darling. He was a natural in front of the cameras, and they loved him. Returning from Arizona, he was mobbed by the press corps who wanted to know every detail about him from his pre-game rituals to his favourite food-and "for all those screaming female fans dying to know, can you tell us if you are available?"

"Well, I'm single. But unavailable." Despite his coy response, the gossip mill went into overdrive. Maybe I was paranoid, but I started noticing hushed whispers in the dining hall, unnerving stares during lectures. Were they directed at me? Our relationship was still at a tender stage, and the idea of "coming out" made me intensely uncomfortable. I was overwhelmed by the flood of new emotions and changes in my life, but to my complete and utter gratitude, Jacob understood, and I loved him all the more because of that.

But our budding romance came at a cost.

The weekend Jacob was away in Arizona, I made up my mind to talk to Leah. It was our long awaited girl-bonding time, a day out in the city filled with shopping, ice-cream and Seattle's sights. We started out at Pike Place in the morning, visiting the market and sampling various gastronomical treats as we went from stall to stall in the arcade. The smell of the sea with Elliott Bay at our feet reminded me of home, relaxing my inhibitions. I felt ready to talk as we settled onto a bench, spreading our finds between us, which included Oprah's favourite Mac n' Cheese, a bag of warm cinnamon sugar doughnuts, and of course, the famous Pike Place chowder in a bread bowl. But Leah took me completely by surprise.

"So, you and Jake got something on tonight?" Leah cradled the bread bowl in her hand, lifting a spoon of chowder to her mouth.

It seemed an innocent question, but the distant look in her eyes gave the lie to her words—as if my answer didn't matter. Or maybe she did care but was determined not to let it show.

I didn't respond, and she continued to probe. "Come on, how long were you two planning to hide?" My throat constricted. What was she saying? Had she guessed?

"I knew it. Something's up. At first I thought you fought. But he's at your dorm every night." She reasoned aloud. Jacob had taken to dropping by my room after practice or work since it was about the only genuine one-on-one time we could steal during the week. But Leah lived on the other side of campus. How on earth did she know that?

"You're blushing." I raised my hand to my cheek and felt the truth of her statement. "So, it's true?"

"What?" Her stare made me uncomfortable. I wasn't used to keeping things from Leah. But what was she really getting at behind her questions?

"Do you really think I'm dumb or what?"

"We … I wanted to talk to you today."

Leah didn't respond. Breaking off part of her bowl, she dipped it in the chowder and munched, a distant look in her eyes as she cast her gaze on the water. For a while the crunch of bread was the only sound between us.

"Hey … " I couldn't take the silence anymore. It was foreign to our friendship. "We weren't trying to hide. It's just that … things happened so fast. To be honest, I'm not even sure … " I reached for her wrist hoping she would understand what I found so hard to say in words.

She raised a hand to stop me. "It's okay. I get it." Placing her half-empty bowl on the bench, she got to her feet, hands in the pockets of her windbreaker as she walked to the edge of the pier. Leaning against the railing, her head lifted slightly as if she was taking in the smell of the sea. She rose on her toes, short hair flying wildly, a shudder rolling from her shoulders down her back as the heels of her sneakers slowly touched the ground again. She looked like a baby eagle about to take flight.

"Leah." She didn't turn around, but I knew she was listening. An old man walking his dog heard my voice and turned in my direction, but not finding what he thought, continued on his way. "I didn't tell you earlier because I'm scared things will change."

Setting my lunch on the bench next to hers, I took a few steps in her direction standing just a foot behind her. "You and Jake are the two most important people in my life, and nothing's gonna change that. This shouldn't change anything. It doesn't change how much I care, how much we both love you. It changes nothing at all."

She didn't respond for the longest time, so we just stood there until the water turned choppy and the sky darkened with threatening rain clouds.

"Nah, it won't." She turned around and gave me a soft smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. Warning signs should have flashed, but I desperately wanted to believe her. Wrapping my arm around her waist, we returned to our bench, as if nothing had happened. No, this wouldn't change things between the three of us.

But it did.

* * *

><p>"You heard from her yet?" Jacob asked as I joined him at the football corner after my shift. We sat a cautious distance apart, but underneath the table his hand found mine, our fingers twining in his lap. I shook my head.<p>

"Weird." His eyes filled with a confusion that probably mirrored mine. Blinking, he pulled out his phone and dialed her number. "I swear the crew girls were here earlier."

Leah was supposed to meet us at Artie's for a long overdue get together the night before Homecoming. But it was almost midnight and there was still no sign of her.

"No answer?" I asked as the seconds ticked by and the frown on his brow deepened. He set down his phone on the table and turned to me with a perturbed expression.

Around our table, his teammates continued their merry-making, filling the back of the restaurant with boisterous laughter. But between us, the troubled silence grew.

A loud beep from my vibrating purse startled us. It was a short message from Leah, saying she needed to crash because their coach made them 'eat dirt'. That didn't sound right. Leah loved to eat dirt.

"Did she actually say that?" Jacob leaned in to get a closer look, disbelief written all over his face. "Come on, _I _have a big game tomorrow, and I'm still here." I had a suspicion Jacob was planning to open up to Leah about "us" tonight, but it looked like his plans were thwarted.

Making one final gamble, I dialed her number, but my call went straight to voicemail. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, even though I wanted desperately to believe that everything was alright.

"I think she's mad at me." Jacob pronounced with certainty as we made our way back to the dorms.

"Why would she be? I don't get it."

"Isn't it obvious?" He reached for my hand, tucking it into his jacket pocket. "I don't think she likes what happened between you and me." He gestured between the two of us.

"Then it's not about you alone." I sighed, thinking back to last Sunday's chat. I came away thinking that everything between the three of us would be fine, but he came to the opposite conclusion, and it was starting to appear that he was right.

"I wish she would talk to me."

"Have you seen her since … "

"No. We did talk a bit the night before we flew to Arizona. Shit, was that the last time we spoke?" He smacked his forehead. "Oh man, no wonder she hates me."

"_Everyone_ was trying to call you after you came back from Tucson. I didn't even see you for more than five minutes till _Wednesday._" I couldn't help the note of jealousy creeping into my tone.

"Fuck, I'm losing track of time. Really?" Stopping us in our tracks, he wrapped me in his arms. "Sorry honey. This past week's been crazy" He pressed his lips to the top of my head. "Please don't be mad."

"I'm not mad."

"Yes you are."

When I didn't answer, he continued. "Sorry things with Leah are pretty shit. And we haven't been spending much time together … "

"I'm not mad." I cut him off, leaning a little closer into his chest, my hand finding its way into his.

"Well." I relented. "Maybe just a little."

"I mean." Taking a deep breath, I inhaled the smoky leather of his bomber jacket. It was an old gift from Billy, and its scent reminded me of sandy grass and bonfires in La Push. "We'll always have to share. It's not like I didn't know that getting into this."

"What are you saying?" He rested his chin on the top of my head, his arms tightening around me.

"You'll always have football, and that should come first. It's given you everything, it's your lifeline outside of La Push, your real future."

"Football's not everything." His response was fast and fierce. "And _you_ come first to me."

Looking up to his eyes, fervent and true, my stoicism dissipated.

"You come first to me too." The words came without hesitation.

* * *

><p>University District was thrumming with life. Alumni from generations past descended on campus by the carload and busload, filling Red Square, the Campanile, and all the major watering holes. We were expecting a bumper crowd at Artie's, and Emmett wanted all hands on board. I was to start my shift right after lunch, making me unable to attend neither the football game nor Leah's alumni race at Lake Washington. I was torn between feeling guilty and grateful that I didn't have to choose between the two.<p>

But the first thing on my mind as I woke up was tracking down Leah. She was an early riser, and the moment my eyes opened, I dialed her number. My call was directed to voicemail again, which was absurd. Was she avoiding me? Why?

Within minutes, I was dressed and on the shuttle to her dorm on the other side of campus. Her roommate, Emily, answered the door. Peering over her shoulder, I was startled to see Leah's untouched sheets.

"She didn't come home last night?"

Emily gave me a peculiar look, as if my question sounded strange to her. "Why don't you try Pam's."

"Pam?"

"Pamela Lopez," she answered as if that was the most obvious response. "You know, the girl from crew?"

_Oh!_ Realisation spread across my face as I remembered meeting Pam a few weeks ago at Artie's-a striking, dark-haired girl who didn't speak much but had a mischievous glint in her eyes. I didn't think Leah knew her that well. "Is she on this floor?" I asked.

"No, she's in the block across from us." Emily nudged in the direction of the window. "Third floor, maybe? Sorry I don't remember which unit though."

Leah lived in a community of low-rise dorm housing on the west side of campus that was reserved for female students in science and engineering. It was fixed up with the most modern amenities, and everything was glass, sleek lines and neatly manicured, unlike my and Jacob's dorms which were grey, concrete, and functional. I returned to the ground floor and crossed the lawn. Exiting on the third floor, I wandered down the carpeted hallway, trying to figure out which room was Pamela's.

Her voice hit me like a bolt of thunder on a colorless night.

"Fuck, you know that's not what I mean." _Leah?_ My feet froze to the ground and I couldn't stop listening.

"Oh yeah? I know exactly what you mean. This means nothing to you." _This_? What on earth was 'this'?

"Stop fucking with me." Leah's voice was seething with anger, but I had no clue why.

"Right." Pamela's voice was charged with bitterness, rising in volume as she continued. "That's why you came looking for me last night? Instead of her, huh?" If _her_ meant me, I was just as keen to hear Leah's response. I shuffled ever closer to the doorframe.

A noise startled me from across the hallway, and I jumped. An Asian girl clad in a bathrobe was standing in the opposite doorway, eyes wide as she took me in. As quick as my feet could move, I stepped away, avoiding her gaze as I tried to conceal the guilty look on my face.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"I ... uh ... I think I've got the wrong floor." My feet motored towards the elevator, hoping to clear out of danger as fast as possible.

Leah's words rumbled through my head as I returned to my dorm room. She sounded troubled. But why was she running to this stranger, someone she knew for less than a few months, instead of Jacob or me? Were we not her best friends? Why did her conversation, or at least what I heard of it, contain so much hurt and anger? Was I completely missing something?

In a moment of desperation, I dialed Jacob's number. It wasn't the best time to call: he needed his full focus on the game. It rang continuously, but no one picked up. Dejected, I sunk into my chair, tossing my cell on the bed. For the first time since arriving in Seattle, I felt alone and despondent. I didn't know how long I sat at my desk, unable to move, until the sound of the door slamming startled me, and my tornado of a roommate reminded me to get to work.

Alice and her band were playing at Artie's, so we hitched a ride with her boyfriend and their bassist, Jasper. Like me, he seemed reserved and content to let Alice do most of the talking. During the five minute ride, she launched into a vicious tirade against Florence, her brother's on-again, off-again girlfriend, whom she accused of living off him and being a total loser. Was she more pissed because Florence was staying at Edward's place, or because she was performing with him on stage again? With diva Alice, my bet was on the latter.

"God, you'd think after the horrible mess last year he would have gotten rid of her. But she keeps clawing her way back into his life." She threw a vehement punch into the air in exclamation, which Jasper calmly caught, bringing her back down to earth.

"What mess?" I asked, finally managing to get a word in.

"Edward had this best friend, Alex. So the two of them and Flo, they were bestest buddies at Yale. Sooo apparently my gentleman of a brother never made a move on her then because _Alex_ had the biggest thing for Flo. God knows why. But years later, Edward ran into Flo in New York, and they got together. Well, Alex found out last year and boy, did shit hit the fan.

"He ambushed Ed outside a club one night and beat the crap out of him. After that, he never spoke to either of them again, and it ruined Ed's relationship with Flo."

"What?" What Alice described could have come straight out of a soap opera.

"Well, at least something positive came out of it." Alice sounded almost delirious with glee.

But something in Edward's story struck a much deeper chord, and I found it difficult to speak. Were there any parallels with my friendship with Jacob and Leah? A visual struck me—the kiss that Jacob and Leah shared at prom, not so many months ago. It certainly seemed real at that time. Could she have been harboring a secret crush on him all this while?

The question troubled me as I changed into my Artie's uniform and started my shift. The more I thought about it, the more I wondered about the signs I might have missed. I was so deep in thought I almost didn't hear Emmett calling until he was right beside me.

"Someone called for you up front." It was Emmett. He passed me a piece of notepaper with a number and a name which looked vaguely familiar. "She said it was urgent." Hurrying to the back of house, I made the call which was picked up almost immediately.

"Hi, I'm looking for a Lynn Baumann?" My stomach was hit with unease as I remembered Lynn—she was the women's crew coach.

"Is that Bella?" The voice on the other end of the line was brusque and harried. "You need to get yourself down to the hospital right away. Leah's been in an accident."

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><p><em>Author's Note: Reviews make me write faster!<em>

_All love and eternal gratitude to my heroine and beta__, **Leelator**. By the way, I'm now on Twitter—my handle is** xtewigx**. Come say hi! _

_Shameless self-promotion: If you have a spare minute, please read my little oneshot, **Wrong**. It's something very different from __**Three's a Crowd**. __www()fanfiction()net/s/8335907/1/Wrong (replace () with a dot)_


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